Phantom in the Future
by Phantomess785
Summary: The Phantom of the Opera suddenly finds himself in the year 2005. What will happen when he finds himself meeting a young girl who he feels attracted to? When a tragedy occurs and the girl's life fills with despair, will he bring her back to the light? R
1. Where am I? When am I?

Ok, this is my first fan ficcy ever, so just review! You don't like it? Flame it, but please use as much constructive criticism as possible! If you do like it, please tell me so! I know that how Erik ends up in America in 2005 is very weird and stupid, but whatever, it's all I could think of. Review with suggestions and I'll change it. Oh, and the whizzing lights are cars, in case you didn't know!

Disclaimer: Phantom of the Opera belongs to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Joel Schumacher, and Gaston Leroux. I own none of it, though I do own the girl Erik will meet later on in the story...

Erik shivered and jerked himself awake. What had happened? Where was he? How did he get... _wherever_ he was?

All he could remember was he had been sitting in his lair, feeling pathetically sorry for himself. He had been cold. Very cold. Freezing cold. What had happened after that?

"Ah, the specimen is awake!" an old man shouted, his face inches away from Erik's. Erik's eyes shot widely open and he sat up with a start.

"Finally!" the old man cried again, "We have successfully brought a frozen being back to life! The first test ever! He is alive!" A group of men behind the old man cheered loudly.

"Where am I?" Erik asked groggily. It was all he could think of.

"You, sir, are in America! California, to be precise!" the scientist answered him in a booming voice.

"America? California? What the... Who the... what about Paris?" Erik felt very dizzy. His mind was foggy, and he was very tired and confused.

"Paris! Paris! Paris, did you say?" the man yelled, and he turned to the crowd behind him, "He even has a memory! I told you he was found in Paris! They all thought he was dead, but someone convinced them to bring him here, for study! He even knows he was in Paris!"

"What day is it?" Erik inquired. He couldn't think very straight, and could barely concentrate on finding where he was.

"August the 3rd, in the year 2005."

"_WHAT!_ " Erik could not help but shout aloud at his answer. His mind cleared a bit as though he had gotten through the fog by shouting, "2005! What about 1861? You mean, it isn't 1861? What is America? What about Paris, and 1861?"

The group of men all laughed, causing Erik to stop panicking and wonder what they were laughing at.

"What is so damn funny?" he asked them, now thoroughly flustered.

"Oh, my dear man, _you_ are funny! You don't even know how you came to be here! Though, that _is_ to be expected, I suppose, since you were near dead-"

"Near dead?"

"Why, yes. You see, your body was found in Paris, in a sewer or something like that, I think. You were thought to be dead, but some guy told them that your body should be brought here, for study! They sent you here, to America!"

"But what is America-?"

"America is another continent, far from Paris," the old man explained, "You were frozen, it must've been very cold where you were. I mean, you must have been down in that place for 200 years! I guess the temperature is what kept you from growing older, actually... Well, we heated you up, and kept you warm, and now, you're alive! Why, this is magnificent! This is _superlative_! This is-"

"You mean, I am here, far from my home, far from my century, and you are happy? You are... laughing! How can you be... How can this be... real? Ok, I see now, this isn't real," Erik shouted madly at them, "I am just... dreaming! I will wake up, and I will be back in Paris in the year 1861, and I will be feeling sorry for myself all over again, and everything will be as it should be and how I am accustomed to it being! I will _not_ be in 'America' in the year '2005'!"

"Calm down, man! You shall hurt yourself!" the scientists in the room all rushed forward and grabbed Erik in an effort to calm him down. He thrashed around violently, swinging his fists at anyone who approached him.

"No! I will _not_ calm down! I am, I mean, this can't be... real!" Erik was now even sobbing gently, trying to make his tears of panic look like tears of rage. He did not like showing weakness in front of other people, particularly men.

The scientists all kept trying to calm Erik down desperately, only frightening him more and convincing him that they were all mad. Erik searched this way and that for an escape route, and saw a window.

_Well, if this is a dream, then I shall experience the joy of flight before I wake up, _he thought, and crashed through the brittle glass.

With a dull 'thud!' Erik hit the ground and gasped in pain. Wait a minute... Pain! He... he could feel! This couldn't be a dream, yet it couldn't be real... could it?

Erik focused his entire mind on getting away from where he was right then. He whimpered and limped, but crawled as far away from the building as he could.

Erik had not gone far when he saw flashing lights up ahead of him. They were whizzing by at incredible speeds. Erik wandered over to the lights, but found that the lights were connected to much bigger, more powerful, more harmful things, and soon figured out that he had to avoid them.

_What are these things? What is this strange world? _he thought miserably as he kept journeying.

Erik could not have said how long he was walking for. An hour? Two? Three or more? He traveled along in the freezing cold, trying to sort out his thoughts.

The sun was barely beginning to peek over the horizon when Erik found himself come upon a small town. There were many houses, futuristic houses, compared to what he had ever seen. He knew that he could not look to these for help, and instead tried to find shelter for himself besides the houses.

After a while, Erik found a small hill with houses at the top. There were houses at the bottom as well, and the hill was most likely only 40 feet from top to bottom. Erik felt uncomfortable walking along this hill, fearing that he would be found, but he soon found a small cave-like thing in the dirt.

Someone had dug a small hole under the roots of a tree. Erik used his great observing skills and figured that this cave had not been visited in years. Still shivering, Erik decided to spend at least the night in this little hole in the ground. He curled up into a ball and fell asleep.


	2. Love at first sight?

Ok, this is my first fan ficcy ever, so just review! You don't like it? Flame it, but please use as much constructive criticism as possible! If you do like it, please tell me so! I know that how Erik ends up in America in 2005 is very weird and stupid, but whatever, it's all I could think of. Review with suggestions and I'll change it...

Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera. Andrew L. Webber and Gaston Leroux and Joel Schumacher. I only own the girl Erik meets, and the old scientists in 2005, I guess... kinda

.

Shakily, Erik awoke to find himself curled into a ball in a dirt hole. It took a few seconds for Erik to realize where he was and how he got there. Oh, the scientists. And the flashing lights. And the hole in the ground, which he now lay in.

_This can't be a dream, _Erik thought with horror, _I must really be here, wherever -or whenever- this is..._

The sun was shining brightly through a crack in the dirt above his head. He groaned and sat up, cracking his back most unpleasantly. He crawled out of his hole and stared out at the horizon.

He stared for a while, then his stomach grumbled loudly. Erik groaned. He had no idea where he was supposed to get food around here. A sudden giggling sound from one of the houses down the hill caught his attention. It sounded like a young girl!

Curiously but cautiously, he crept down the hill, taking great care not to step on any brittle twigs or rustle any bushes. He finally made it so that he had a good view of the backyard where the giggling was coming from.

He saw a girl, probably about 13 years old, jumping up and down on a wide circle of black material. It intensified her jumping, causing her to rise up a few feet higher than usual before coming back down. (A/N: This a trampoline; I have to describe everything right now from Erik's point of view, so he doesn't know)

The girl's black hair went crazy as she jumped higher and higher. Suddenly, she leapt into the air with a tremendous force (aided by the trampoline) and flipped. Erik blinked as he watched the girl land gracefully on her feet and laugh once again. To him, her laugh was a wonderful sound, full of joy and pure happiness. He continued to watch as she kept doing flips, every time landing perfectly.

_Wow. How pretty... _he thought, as she executed yet another perfect revolution and swept her black hair out of her face in one fluid motion. He watched as the girl exercised for another few minutes, then got bored and went through a pair of sliding doors.

_No, don't leave... _Erik pleaded with his mind. He sighed and was about to turn around and head back up the hill when a strangely familiar melody reached his ears.

_It... It can't be... No, it can't be... _Erik thought in wonder as he turned around and headed down the hill instead, approaching the house.

Yeah, I know it's short, but I felt that this was the perfect place for a cliffy... and anyway, I'll probably update in like an hour, because I'm awake and it's 12:09 in the morning and I have nothing better to do... REVIEW!


	3. What is a CD?

**Oh, and by the way, the only reason the scientists were not afraid of Erik (like, his face) was that he had a rubber, flash-like mask on, and they did not notice it, and thought he had a regular face like everyone else, and he still has it on right now, sorry if there was any confusion...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera. Andrew Lloyd Webber, Joel Schumacher, and Gaston Leroux do (...luckies pout). **

"_**In sleep he sang to me...**_

_**In dreams he came...**_

_**That voice which calls to me...**_

_**And speaks my name...**_

_**And do I dream again?**_

_**For now I find...**_

_**The Phantom of the Opera is there...**_

**_Inside my mind..._" **No. It couldn't be. Erik wandered carefully closer to the house, cautiously hopping over the chain link fence in the back. He heard the sound come from one particular room, and crept over to it.

**"_Sing once again with me_**

_**Our strange duet...**_

_**My power over you**_

_**Grows stronger yet...**_

_**And though you turn from me**_

_**To glance behind...**_

_**The Phantom of the Opera is there**_

**_Inside your mind..._" **That... That was... _him!_ Erik recognized that voice as himself! (A/N: I kinda made this a Gerard Phantom, but you can make it any Phantom you want in your mind...)

_But how... How is that possible? _he asked himself, _How can my voice be in there when I'm out here? Ok, that's stupid, because I know that I am the greatest ventriloquist in the world, but... I'm not even talking! Or throwing my voice! Or... anything! And yet, I hear my voice! How?_

_**"Those who have seen your face draw back in fear.**_

_**I am the mask you wear..."**_

_**"It's me they hear..."**_

_**"Your/my spirit and your/my voice**_

_**In one combined**_

_**The Phantom of the Opera is there**_

_**Inside your/my mind..."**_

Erik had to find out how he could hear his voice. To confuse him further, he also heard Christine's! He realized that the female voice was indeed Christine! How was that possible?

He reached out a hand and took the handle for the sliding door in his hand, carefully pulling it open.

The room was painted blue, and had a rather tropical theme to it. There was a huge couch, and a number of electrical devices that Erik had never seen before. He wanted to stop and inspect all of them, but the song was louder inside, and that took over his curiosity.

He followed the sound, wandering around a corner and down a long hallway. Erik strived to be as silent as he could, and made a little more noise than a lioness hunting her prey would.

Photographs (in color!) lined the walls of this great hallway, and he saw many different people in them. He was able to recognize the girl he had first seen, and paused to stare as he looked at pictures of her for every year she had grown, all lined up in a row on the wall in chronological order. Erik counted 14 pictures, and gazed for a long time at the most recent one.

The girl did have dark hair, and Erik decided that it was more of a dark brown color. Her complexion spoke of Filipino origin, just like ones Erik had seen many times as he had wandered around Asia in his earlier years, yet her eyes had a certain air about them that set them apart from other eyes he had seen.

All of the other eyes he had looked upon in his life had been plain and mundane, but these eyes had a bit of a... _longing_ in them. Hidden in the shadows of her dark eyes, there was a sparkle that spoke of dreams... of pure soul. Of feeling, and emotion.

This, above all, intrigued Erik. He also had this glint in his eyes. The fact that it was hidden in the shadows of her iris was interesting, too. Erik could not help but wonder if this was because the girl did not want anyone to notice her hopes, her, perhaps, weaknesses. He wondered if it was because she didn't trust other people, very much like himself...

The sound of Christine's familiar ecstatic vocalizing brought him back to reality. He crept down the rest of the hallway, arriving at the door of the room at the end, where the music was coming from. Peeking through a crack in the door, he saw that the girl's back was to him.

Erik read a sign on the door that said "Anna's room! Parents, ye be warned..." and wondered what the hell it meant. Deciding that he would ask 'Anna' what it meant after finding out why he heard himself and Christine singing, he pushed the door open with a muffled creaking sound. The music deftly began to get quiet, which, of course, made Erik confused.

Anna rolled her eyes and turned her chair around, aiming her gaze at what she thought was her father's shoes, "Dad, you could at least knock! I could hear you coming from down the..." her voice died away as she saw not her father's Nikes athletic shoes, but a pair of fancy, black leather shoes. Her eyes traveled slowly up the pair of black pants and to the black tuxedo coat. From there, they traveled to the soft, gentle face.

"Oh my god..." Anna breathed, and, for a second, she and Erik were both afraid that she was going to faint. She breathed deeply, her wide eyes never leaving Erik's. He took a step into the room, and she almost fell over in her haste to get father away from him.

"Child, do not fear me. I won't hurt you," Erik spoke at last, using his most entrancing voice. Anna stared at him for a second or two.

_Why do I feel like I've seen him before? I mean, he almost looks like... but no, his face is normal, not like... His... _Anna's mind was racing around and around in circles, making her increasingly dizzy.

"Who... Who are you?" she squeaked at last, feeling that she had to say something.

"I am... well, I was..." Erik cleared his throat and straightened his posture, furious with himself for sounding so tongue-tied, "The Phantom of the Opera."

Anna blinked her eyes, "Wha... What?"

"The Phantom of the Opera."

"No... No, you can't be! That was like, 200 years ago! You can't be him! That, I mean, the Phantom... You can't be. You just... can't be."

"Can I not?" Erik's eyes traveled to Anna's desk. He eyes grew large as he saw, not the paper she was working on, but the white mask beside it. He knew that it wasn't his, but he still was amazed that she had one just like it. Realizing that it was the only way Anna might believe him, Erik removed his flesh-like mask (with his back to her, of course) and grasped the white one on her desk, slipping it over his face.

Anna gasped as she saw his face, now with the white mask on. It... It was him! She couldn't believe it. She stared blankly at him, then shook her head and chuckled to herself.

"Good God, have I really gone that crazy?" she asked herself out loud, smiling and returning to her paper, "I have become so involved in my story that my imagination is taking over!" She giggled and bent over her work.

Erik walked over to Anna and put his hand on her shoulder gently, "On the contrary, mademoiselle, you seem to be quite sane, and I am real. I am the Phantom."

Anna turned around slowly, considerably calmer than when she first laid eyes on Erik, "How are you... here? How are you alive?" she asked. She now quite believed him, for his hand was warm, and felt... real. It actually surprised Anna that she wasn't scared, but he seemed so kind, and anyway, she felt that Erik would probably not hurt her, after the whole escapade with Christine Daae and Raoul de Chagny.

"Actually, I myself have no idea. I think I was frozen or something, and I was... brought here. That's what the old man said, at any rate," Erik explained, suddenly realizing how ridiculous his story sounded.

"Ook..." Anna muttered, her eyes telling Erik that she thought him to be a lunatic, "The old man said it... How reliable."

"Look, you don't have to believe me. I just want to know how I can hear myself, and Christine Daae. I heard them -us- in here. How?"

Anna thought for a second, then her face lit up as she figured out what Erik was talking about, "Oh! Oh, that! It's my CD player. See, I have your movie's soundtrack on CD, so I was listening to it, and then you heard it."

"And a CD is?"

"A compact disc," Anna answered.

"And a compact disc _is_?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot, you have no idea, of course! How silly of me! Ok, uh, a compact disc is... Well, it's hard to explain, but a compact disc is like... Ok, it traps sound and plays it over and over again. It can be used for music, people talking, all kinds of things. So yeah, the people who made your movie put the sound on this CD, and I can play it over and over again!"

"People who made my... what is a movie?" Erik could feel himself getting confused all over again.

"You have a lot to learn," Anna grinned, chuckling to herself.

**  
Yeah, so this is Chapter three, and thank you (so so so much!) to everyone who reviewed! If you have any suggestions as to anything I should change about it, tell me in a review, and I'll see what I can do (HaHa! It rhymes!) **


	4. Anna's Past and the Piano

**HaHa I love it that Erik gets modernized, but I'm still thinking of what to write later on in the story... Ah, well, I'll figure it out...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera (still pouting from previous chapter)... Boo.  
**

Anna explained to Erik what a CD was and what a movie was and what many other things were over the course of the next hour. She showed him all of the electric devices in her living room, and then led him to her room again.

"What is that?" he asked warily, eyeing Anna's electric guitar in the corner of her room.

"Oh, that's a musical instrument. Here, let me show you," Ana grabbed the guitar and fastened the strap around her neck and over her shoulder. She plugged it into her amplifier and grasped her pick firmly between her fingers.

She pressed a button on her amp and a beat could be heard from the speakers. After counting a few beats, Anna took a deep breath and strummed the strings of her guitar confidently. Chords of music poured through the speakers, and Erik listened in wonder.

_Whoa, this is too much. I can handle almost anything, but electric guitars? _Erik thought, _What happened to organs? And violins?_

"Wow, that's... interesting. It's... different," Erik commented.

"It's not what you're used to," Anna grinned wryly. She recognized that look on his face. She had gotten it many times from older relatives, and knew that it meant that Erik wasn't very pleased with her guitar.

"So, what song is that?" Erik asked quickly. Anything to change the subject.

"It's "1985", by Bowling for Soup. Yeah, I know, 'what the heck is that?', right? Just a song, to keep it simple. Hey, do you play the piano?" Anna knew that he did, but didn't want to freak him out by saying that she knew all about him.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Why?"

"Will you play me a song? I played you one," Anna begged. She wanted to do anything she could to keep Erik there with her.

Perhaps this would be a good time for some history on Anna, huh?

(A/N: Anna's history is completely made-up, no matter how realistic it may seem. I'm only saying that because some of my friends wanted to know if Anna's history was based on a real person's. It isn't)

_Anna had been a little girl, a fourth grader, when her parents had taken her to New York for the first time. There her aunt and uncle showed them all around the city. Anna's aunt had bought tickets to see Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, so they went to see it late at night. _

_The adults had assumed that Anna was too young to capture the intense feelings of love, pity, and compassion that the play revolved around, but they had been wrong. Anna had always been rather mature for her age, and had soaked up the emotions faster than the actors could present it (metaphorically, of course). It was that night that Anna developed that longing sparkle in her eyes._

_That night, Anna felt many unfamiliar emotions that were wonderful, horrible, confusing, and enlightening, all at the same time. She couldn't get enough of this wonderful feeling. She secretly wished that **she** had been Christine, and the Phantom was coming for **her**. She thought that that would be the most amazing thing in the world._

_For almost a year, she had had dreams of singing songs with the Phantom. She loved him, in a strange way that she could not understand, but was more focused on reality. Crushes, BFFs, gossip, and CDs were all that really mattered back then._

_Eventually, these things began to take over her life. She would crush on a new guy (and get rejected), or have a new BFF, or dig up the juiciest gossip almost every week. Still, though, the Phantom remained in the back of her mind, and in the shadows of her eyes._

_When she went to 8th grade, her mother took her to see The Phantom of the Opera as a movie. It re-inspired Anna, and she found that her feelings for the Phantom had only grown stronger as time went by._

_She began to imagine herself with him again, and talked about it with her friends (who jokingly called her crazy). She had given up on crushes, for she had been rejected too many times. BFFs had mainly stayed true-blue, but she longed for something more. _

_Anna longed for love. True love. Love that only one person she had ever seen had been capable of giving. The Phantom. The sparkle in her eyes grew bigger, but so did the shadows of her eyes, so it continued to remain relatively hidden._

It was for these reasons that Anna wanted to keep Erik with her. She pleaded with him playfully to play her a song, and finally got him to agree.

"Your piano is slightly out of tune," Erik noted as he sat down on the piano bench and tried out some keys.

"Everybody's a critic," Anna rolled her eyes and sighed, but she was grinning.

"No. I mean... I can help you fix it, if you would like..." Erik offered. He thought Anna looked strange when she rolled her eyes, but in a funny and pleasurable way. He also liked it when she smiled. Her whole face seemed to illuminate, and (for him only), the hidden sparkle emerged and filled her eyes, causing them to shimmer like garnet gems.

"Oh. That's alright, but thank you anyway. You don't have to," Anna almost blushed, but was able to keep her face looking normal.

"Alright. What would you like me to play?"

Anna handed Erik a black songbook, "I got it for Christmas a couple years ago," she muttered, flipping through the pages.

"This is a Phantom of the Opera songbook, isn't it?" Erik asked Anna with a grin. She nodded, then gestured toward a page with the sheet music for "Music of the Night" on it.

"Ah, an old favorite," Erik chuckled as he began to play. He was rather astonished that he was so cheerful and calm. He felt strangely that, had he been alone in his home cave playing his song, even back in 1861, he would not have felt as comfortable as he did right then, with Anna in 2005...

**HaHa they're falling in love... oh, I'm hyper, and I haven't even had coffee... cool.**


	5. Music of the Night

**HaHa yeah sorry this one is so short, but I have to take my dog to the vet for a checkup... But yeah, I'll try to update as soon as I can... Oh, and I know the title is totally lame, but it's all I can think of right now...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PotO. I really wish I did, but then again I also really wish I had coffee...

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**

"**_Nighttime sharpens_**

_**Heightens each sensation **_

_**Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination... **_

_**Silently the senses abandon their defenses...**_

_**Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor... **_

_**Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender... **_

_**Turn your face away from the garish light of day. **_

_**Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light... **_

**_And listen to the Music of the Night..." _**Erik sang, feeling more peaceful then than he could have imagined possible. He went through the song, and Anna just stood there, her eyes shut lazily as she let the music flow through her.

_**"Floating, falling**_

_**Sweet intoxication...**_

_**Touch me, trust me...**_

**_Savor each sensation..." _**Anna reached out a hand and stroked Erik's uncovered left cheek gently. Her hands traveled along his face until her fingers tripped over the edge of his white mask (Ok, so it was actually hers, but whatever).

"**_Let the dream begin_**

_**Let your darker side give in**_

_**To the power of the music that I write...**_

**_The power of the Music of the Night," _**Erik finished splendidly. Anna was debating on whether or not to remove his mask when he pressed his hand up against hers so that she couldn't move it.

"Please, don't," Erik pleaded.

"Oh, Erik! I already know what you look like, and to tell you the truth, it's not that bad!" Ana exclaimed, "I really don't think that you're that hideous. On the contrary, I think that you are the most handsome person I have ever met. So, you're deformed, but so what? I mean, you're kind, and gentle, and that's all that really matters! That makes you a wonderful and divine person!"

Erik blinked and stared at Anna blankly. How could this girl give her mind and soul and... heart to him so freely? No one had ever done that to him before. It was... nice, and comforting.

"Can you sing?" he asked her, to keep his mind off confusing thoughts.

"Well, yes. I mean, I think I'm a mezzo-soprano... But I can't sing as high as I used to. For example, I used to be able to hit those last few high notes Christine vocalizes in the last part of Phantom of the Opera, but now I can't! Totally wish I could, but can't!" Ana suddenly realized that she was babbling, and shut her mouth, but not before apologizing.

"For what?" Erik wanted to know.

"For, you know, rambling on. It's probably so boring, having to sit there, listening to me go on and on about everything."

Erik smiled softly and slowly reached out his hand and set it on Anna's shoulder, "You couldn't bore me if you tried." he suddenly realized that he had said too much and changed the subject, asking Anna what time it was.

"3:30 in the afternoon," she replied after checking the clock in her kitchen. Just thinking of the kitchen reminded Erik of how hungry he was.

"Do you by any chance have anything to eat? I just, uh, "woke up" last night, and I haven't had anything to eat in about... 200 years or so."

"Oh, of course! Forgive me, I didn't know, though I should have guessed. Stupid of me, very stupid." Anna got out some leftover Chinese food and heated it up in the microwave (which fascinated Erik). She gave it to him and just sat and watched him eat.

He was so wonderful, absolutely amazing in every way. Anna looked deeply into his eyes, to see if they were truly full of sadness and hurt, as she had so often heard. She saw that they were, though happiness was there also, for the moment. Ana also caught a hint of the longing glint in his eyes, but didn't realize that the same one resided in hers.

A sudden dull, mechanical sound made Ana straighten up sharply, "Oh my god! 4:00 already!" She grabbed Erik's arm, "You have to go! Just for today! If my father finds you here, he'll go mad! Come on!" she pulled Erik out of the chair and steered him toward the sliding glass doors and into the back yard.

"Will I see you again?" Erik asked Anna. (A/N: So typical, I know.)

"Yeah, sure, if you want... I'm on summer vacation right now, so I don't have school or anything just yet, so if you would like, come tomorrow. My parents will go to work early, as usual," Anna was a bit shocked that Erik actually wanted to see her again. Things like this had never happened to her before...

The sound of a rattling doorknob brought Anna back to the present, "Go! Quick!" she shoved Erik out the door and watched him run and jump over her back fence in a rather cat-like manner. She then dashed back to her table and sat in front of the food Erik had been eating, just as her father came in.

"Hey sweetie, how've you been? Anything exciting happen today?"

"Oh, not really..." Ana lied with a grin.

* * *

**Yeah so this is it for now, gotta go to the vet... Oh, and I'll probably update about every day (maybe even 2 or 3 times a day if I'm bored) because I'm on Spring Break and this is fun! Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! HaHa I want a cookie!**


	6. A Kiss on the Cheek

**HaHa I love your review, MagickAlianne! Thank you for the cookie! Oh, and for those of you who are wondering, my puppy is fine, he just had to get a rabies shot or something like that... But he didn't get a lollipop! LOL I like candy!**

**Ok, this chappie is short, but I'll write more later on tonight or something...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of PotO. I only own Anna (and I totally wish I was her!)

* * *

**

The next day, Anna awoke with a smile on her face and the promise of seeing Erik again in her heart. After eating a quick breakfast, she waited impatiently for her parents to leave for work, then got dressed and went outside on her trampoline to wait for Erik.

Erik awoke in pretty much the same manner, save for the fact that he had no parents to wait for. He crept down the hill and waited in some shady bushes for Anna. When she emerged from her house, he did not greet her but decided instead to watch her for a few minutes.

Anna bounced joyfully and executed many athletic tricks with ease. She got rather bored after two minutes (and totally anxious!), so she decided to try to complete a flip off of her knees, which she had never been able to do before.

She leaped into the air with a bit of foolish confidence, and hit the trampoline's surface with her knees, immediately curling into a ball to allow herself maximum spin. A split second too late, Anna realized that she hadn't left the ground right, and was rewarded with a dull pain in her skull.

Erik's eyes widened in shock when he saw Ana land on her head/neck. With astonishing grace and speed, he ran down the rest of the hill and jumped over Anna's back fence, ripping a small slit in his cloak and leaving some material behind.

"Anna!" he cried when he knelt down by her side on the trampoline, "Anna, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Whoa, that was awesome!" Anna exclaimed as she sat up, beaming and laughing, "Yeah, it hurts, but it was worth it. Man, that was cool!"

"God, you scared me!" Erik breathed.

"Aww, were you worried?" Anna teased.

"Well, no. I mean... yes."

Anna eyes grew large for a second, as she realized what Erik had just told her. _He had been **worried**, about me! Oh my god, I don't believe it! This is just way to good to be true! I thought that I would win the lottery before this moment came..._

Their eyes half closed, they both suddenly noticed how close their faces were to each other. Erik's heart raced wildly, and Anna felt her heart beat in tune with his. Suddenly, and before they could kiss, Erik came to his senses (damn!).

"Oh, uh.. ahem" he cleared his throat and chuckled nervously, "Uh, so... are you okay?" He had been that close to Anna. Why couldn't his common sense have waited another few seconds?

"Uh, yeah... thank you for asking," Ana whispered, her voice almost as shaky as Erik's, "Do you... want to go inside? You must be hungry."

Erik agreed shyly, and Anna led him in and gave him some breakfast. While he ate, she opened a book and pretended to read it, when really she was sneaking glances at him when he wasn't looking.

"Oh, I learned to play Angel of Music on the piano last night," Ana whispered shyly, "I practiced it a lot, and now I know it by heart..."

"That's amazing! Only one night of practice? Do you just play it, or do you sing it, too?" Erik was impressed.

"Well, I can sing it, but not as well as I used to..."

"Sing it."

"Excuse me?"

"Sing it."

"Here? Now?"

Erik nodded, and Anna gave him an uneasy look. It was clear that she didn't want to look like a fool in front of him.

"Anna, I have been around terrible singers before. Now La Carlotta, that woman was _horrible_! It always amazed me that the managers never threw her out. If anyone should be recognized as the worst singer who ever lived, it should be La Carlotta!"

Anna laughed aloud at this, for she knew what La Carlotta sounded like, and agreed with Erik wholeheartedly. After taking a deep breath, she then began.

"**_Angel of Music, guide and guardian_**

_**Grant to me your glory!**_

_**Angel of Music, Hide no longer!**_

**_Come to me, strange angel..._**" She paused and gave Erik a meek glance.

"Excellent."

"Really?"

"Yes. I only have a few suggestions. Number 1: Relax! You're way too tense. Number 2: Stop thinking that every second you're going to mess up. Just let the music flow. And number 3: Well, there really isn't a number 3. Basically, just relax, and you'll do just fine." Erik instructed, "Now, try it again."

Anna practiced her singing with Erik until he told her that she was perfect. By that time, it was around noon, and Anna gave him some food. She didn't eat, because she felt that Erik was all she needed to keep her going.

Erik finished, and suddenly expressed an interest in learning all about what had happened in the years he had been frozen. Anna regretted that she didn't have her History book (she was on vacation) and told Erik all she remembered about America's history, as well as what she knew about Europe and parts of Asia.

"Wow," she breathed with a chuckle when she had told Erik everything, "I never though History class would be any help in real life! This is too ironic!"

"Well, thank you..." Erik murmured. He was now thoroughly confused, "But wait, did George Washington become president before Benjamin Franklin?"

"No, I mean, yes, but Benjamin Franklin never became president," Anna corrected with a sigh, still smiling brightly.

"Oh, okay... I think..." Erik decided to change the subject to avoid frustration, "It is time for me to get going probably, don't you think?"

"Yeah, that's true. Last time was too close for my money," Anna shuddered as she imagined what her father would have done if he had found Erik.

Erik stood up and headed for the door. Before he exited, he turned to Anna.

"Thank you, Anna, for... everything!" he let out a deep breath and leaned forward slowly. Before his superior intellect could interfere, he planted a small kiss on Anna's cheek and ran away, leaping over the back fence without looking back.

Anna disbelievingly brought her fingers up to her face. _Did that just happen? _she asked herself over and over again, _I think it did! Aaaahhh! Oh my god! I think I'm going to scream! _She ran to her room, picked up her pillow and buried her face in it, and did just that.

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**Yeah see, I told you this was short, but I'll update later on today... REVIEW!**


	7. Anna's World is Turned UpsideDown

**Yeah, this one is much longer, but you'll hate the way this chapter ends... Thank you for all your great reviews, they're very much appreciated! So yeah, this is a sad but tender chapter, so just enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera, I only own Anna. I don't own 7th Heaven either, if I need a disclaimer for that since I mention it...

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Later on that night, Anna's parents still hadn't returned. Anna regretted that she had sent Erik away, for she now missed him, and was growing steadily more and more worried about her parents.

To keep her mind off of her anxiety, Anna turned on her TV and started channel surfing. She watched an episode of 7th Heaven, then changed the channel again. She reached a news channel, and decided to watch it.

"...And here on the highway we have a bad accident. It appears that 4 cars were involved, and the result... well, you can see here for yourself, folks. The paramedics have confirmed that, unfortunately, none of the occupants in any of the cars have survived," the news reporter spoke into the camera. The TV screen was suddenly filled with the footage of the accident wreckage. Anna gasped at what she saw.

One of the cars belonged to her parents. At first, she refused to believe that it did, but the unmistakable bumper sticker of the family stick figures and names confirmed her worst nightmare.

"No," she breathed as she watched paramedics drag bodies out of the other cars. When a group of people reached her parents' car, she hurriedly changed the channel, but was met with the same view and story. No matter what she did, it appeared that the view of her parents' wrecked car was there. Even when she closed her eyes, the sight was etched into the inside of her eyelids.

"No... NO!" Anna cried as she threw open the sliding glass door. Blindly she ran though her yard and stumbled over her back fence.

"ERIK!" she shouted, tears running down her face like rain, "Erik! Erik please, come to me! ERIK!"

Erik was sitting in his cave when he heard Anna calling his name. He poked his head out of his home and listened intently. There it was again! Anna was calling him, and rather desperately, by the sound of it.

Anna fell to her knees in the soil, crying uncontrollably. She only looked up when she felt warm arms gently around her.

"Anna my dear, what is wrong?" Erik asked, deeply concerned.

"Oh, Erik!" she sobbed, falling into his arms and grabbing a handful of his shirt tightly so as not to let go.

"What is the matter, Anna?"

"It's too horrible! Oh, Erik!"

"What?"

Anna did not answer instantly; Instead, she buried her face deeper into Erik's chest and kept sobbing. He wrapped his arms around her tighter, waiting patiently for her to calm down.

"Erik... my parents... they are ...dead!" her voice cracked and she began to cry again. Erik took a corner of his cloak and gently dabbed her eyes dry, but more tears came. Eventually he gave up and folded her into his embrace.

"Anna, Anna... it's alright... I'm here..." Erik consoled, softly rocking Anna back and forth to try and soothe her. Gradually and slowly, Anna's tears subsided, and she aimed her brown eyes toward Erik's. The two of them kneeled there for a long time, then Erik eventually stood up.

He bent down and carefully scooped Anna into his arms. It took him a second to balance her, but then he steadily began to descend down the hill toward her home. He carried her to her room and set her down on her bed.

"Anna, you need to sleep. Your mind is tired, and your body is exhausted. Sleep will make it a little better."

Anna was about to nod when her phone rang. Cursing under her breath, she got up and ran to get it.

"Hello?"

"Anna, it's your Aunt Stacie," the person on the other line greeted, "I heard about your parents. Most unfortunate, what happened to them," Anna's aunt sounded only half-sorry, "But I have been informed by your grandmother that, since she lives in Florida, I am to be your new guardian! Of course, you could choose to live with your grandma, but that would mean moving to the other side of the country and all that, and I'm sure you would rather stay at home, right?"

"Yeah-"

"So, _I_ am to be your new guardian. Now, I live in my little apartment here, so I think it would be better if I just moved in with you, don't you think?"

Anna was stunned. Here her aunt was, casually making arrangements for Anna's life, while her parents were only a few hours... dead. Was she not sorry at all that her sister (Anna's mother) was no longer with them (and her father, too!)?

"Uh-"

"Great! So, I'll be by tomorrow to settle out some legal things and all that, and then I shall be your guardian. I shall have to move in soon, of course... But anyway, Anna, I have to go now, but I will see you tomorrow, okay? Bye-bye!" Anna listened in shock as her aunt hung up.

"Anna?" Erik murmured as he peeked around the corner, "Anna, what was that?"

"That... that was my aunt. She'll... be moving in, I think..." Anna replied, confused and in shock.

Erik took Anna's hand and gently led her back to her room. He left the room and shut the door behind her as she changed. When she was done, he re-entered.

"So... goodnight, I guess, Anna" Erik muttered, standing beside her.

"Wait! Erik, don't go... You can sleep in the guest bedroom, if you would like."

"I would, my dear, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get much sleep here. The appliances amount to much more noise than I am accustomed to hearing when I am trying to sleep, but I will stay here, if you need me to. I will watch over you while you sleep, if you require it," Erik offered.

Anna stared softly at Erik's face. _He is so kind. He's offering to watch over me, even if it means a sacrifice for himself..._

"No, I don't need it. It was just, if you wanted to... But no. I'm alright. Go and get some sleep yourself. Heaven knows you need it as much as I do."

"Anna," Erik sighed. Now that he thought of it, he didn't want to leave her alone, "At least let me sing you to sleep."

Anna considered it for a minute, "Alright..." she decided at last with a small smile, her first since she had learned of her parents' death.

Erik smiled and began:

"**_Nighttime sharpens_**

_**Heightens each sensation **_

_**Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination... **_

_**Silently the senses abandon their defenses...**_

_**Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor... **_

_**Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender... **_

_**Turn your face away from the garish light of day. **_

_**Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light... **_

**_And listen to the Music of the Night..._**" Erik listened to the slow, even breathing of Anna, which told him that she was finally asleep. He leaned forward slowly once again, and kissed her soft, smooth cheek. The corners of her mouth tuned up slightly, and he smiled and left the room.

Once he was out of the house, Erik strived once again to be silent as he walked. The night was quiet, and he didn't want to alert any of Anna's neighbors of his presence (he didn't know that they were all rather elderly).

He reached his little cave at last, and curled up inside of it. Despite the unusual chill in the air, he was asleep before long.

Later that night, Erik awoke to a rough, crunching sound, and realized with horror that someone was just outside his cave. He remained as still as he could, waiting. A minute passed, and the noise stopped. Still Erik waited. Another minute passed. Two. Three. Five... Ten minutes had passed, and Erik had heard no more of the mysterious person. Deciding at last to check out the source of the noise, he cautiously emerged from his home.

That was when Erik was ambushed.

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**Yeah, I know, you hate the way I leave you hanging, but this is the perfect place for a cliffy, don't you think? (Smiles evilly LOL) Yeah, I'll work on Chapter 8, but I probably won't get it up before tomorrow...**


	8. Erik's Capture

**Yeah this one is really short, I know... and I know I messed up when I said Erik didn't know about America (oops!), but I imagine him as being to confused (I know, lame excuse, but whatever) Sorry for the mess-up!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own PotO. I only own Anna and Rodney, the freaky scientist

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The men (for Erik found that there were more than one) grabbed Erik and pinned him down on the ground. At least two hands were clamped over his mouth to silence him.

"Careful now, men," a familiar voice whispered, "he can be a wild one when he wants to."

The crowd of men stood Erik on his feet, and he saw in the moonlight that the man who had spoken was the very first person he had laid eyes on in 2005. That man was the old scientist from the lab!

"Ha! Thought you could get away that easy, did you? I don't think so! You may be fast on your feet, but we make up for our disadvantage with technology," the old man smirked.

Erik struggled and tried desperately to get away, but the people around him held him firmly, and he couldn't escape. One person even punched him in the stomach once to stop his wriggling. Erik didn't by any means stop squirming, but he wasn't as frantic or effective. A wet cloth was put over his nose and mouth, and Erik smelled the chloroform.

Within seconds, his vision grew dark, and he slowly went unconscious...

Anna awoke suddenly in the middle of the night. Something in the back of her mind was nagging at her, refusing to let her sleep any more. She turned over in her bed and laid there all night, staring at the wall and wondering what could be wrong.

Erik's eyes shot open. He was back in the lab, which had evidently been repaired since he had last been there. He was strapped onto a metal stretcher, and the old scientist hovered over him again, grinning in a sinister way.

"Oy, 'is 'eart rate is up, Rodney!" one of the other scientists shouted to the old scientist.

"Yeah, he's awake," Rodney replied, looking Erik in the eyes, "so let's get started! Let's see how he reacts when... Wait a second," Rodney noticed something about Erik's face, "What is this?"

Rodney reached forward and laid a rough finger on Erik's right cheek, "Why, it's a mask! A rubber mask! Would you look at that, gentlemen? It appears our little test subject has been hiding something..."

To Erik's horror, Rodney moved his fingers along his mask until he found the edge of it. He gave Erik a superior and evil look, then whipped the mask off of his face.

Scientists all around the room gasped and cried aloud in horror. They panicked and ran all around the room, looking to Erik like a bunch of insane lunatics. The man who controlled Erik's electric metal stretcher tripped over a switch in his haste to run away, and that deactivated the mechanical bonds holding Erik to the stretcher.

Erik sat up, grateful now that he could move, "Damn you! All of you!" he cursed, standing up and knocking over glass vials, test tubes, and other fragile chemistry equipment. Sparks erupted into flame as chemicals reacted with the electrical outlets and machinery. Still Erik cursed and yelled like a madman, and broke everything he came into contact with.

"Someone call the police!" Rodney shouted as Erik came upon him, landing punishing blows with is fists. Men all over the room got out cell phones and dialed 911.

Minutes later, after Rodney had been saved from Erik, the police arrived and were bursting through the doors. The policemen grabbed Erik and pinned him to the ground. Handcuffs were placed over his wrists, and he was led away, still cursing and shouting...

Anna was glad to see the sun rise. She got out of bed, and went outside immediately to try and find Erik before her aunt came. She called his name, but received no reply. Puzzled, Anna searched the hill, but found no trace of Erik.

Anna heard her doorbell ring from the hill, and ran down to greet her aunt, unaware of how bad of a turn her life was about to take.

Erik was sentenced to 4 years in prison by a judge, which was rather unfair, as he thought. The lawyer had been to afraid of Erik to get his story right, and that led to Erik being found guilty...

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**Yeah it's kind of weird, I know, but REVIEW anyway! **


	9. Freedom and the Black Room

**Yeah, I know, another short one, but the next chapter will be pretty interesting, I think...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PotO. I only own Anna.

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Two years went by, and Erik wanted desperately to give up hope. Suicide was on his mind often, but the thought and hope of seeing Anna again when he was free kept him alive. Life in prison was none too easy to live, but Erik got on quite well, for the other prisoners were too frightened of him to pick fights with him or get too close to him at all.

Depressed, Erik soon lost track of time. How long had he been in jail? A year? Two? How was he supposed to know? None of the officers ever told him, they just hit the bars of his cell with tier black clubs.

Erik knew better than to get in the way of those clubs. He knew what it was like to be hit by one. The second he began to think of his horrible past behind bars, he knew that he was going to regret it, and regret it he did.

The food in prison reminded him of the vile, unappetizing meals he had been served while he was a captive in that horrible traveling circus. The bars reminded him of the ones that used to surround him in his small, blood-red tent, and the shrieking of other criminals when they saw his face reminded him of the scared people who visited him, if you could have called it visiting.

One day, Erik actually attempted suicide, by striking his forehead against his porcelain sink, but the officers had heard the noise and stopped him. Erik decided that it was actually a good thing that they had stopped him, because he could see Anna again, and she could see him. After a while, Erik was no longer living for himself. He was living so that he could, one day, return to Anna and watch her smile and be happy as she saw him.

One day, after four years had gone by, a guard approached Erik in his cell, "Let's go, convict. It's time."

Erik was a bit wary, but he quickly changed his attitude to a more positive one when he realized that he was going to be set free. At last! Freedom! He could find Anna once again, and see her again!

Erik, at first, had no idea which way to go, but he soon stumbled upon the lab he had been captured from, and made his way from there. He had no idea if he was going to right way, and tried hard to remember that night, 4 years ago, when he had escaped and crawled away to Anna's home. It took a long, long time, but finally Erik came upon Anna's hometown once again.

He could have jumped for joy at that sight. _Oh, my beloved Anna, I shall today finally see you again. How long have I waited for this day, this beautiful day during which I shall hold you in my arms!_

Many times as he walked, Erik had to retrace his steps. He knew very well that he could not ask anyone for directions, because (even if they knew Anna) he had no mask.

After a while though, Erik found himself walking down Anna's street (He remembered it because of an old oak tree on the corner). His feet sore, his legs aching, and his stomach grumbling, Erik walked around to the back sliding doors and slipped inside the house.

The house was different, very different from when he had left it. Instead of the tropical, blue living room, Erik found himself looking upon a maroon, royal-like room. For a second, he was afraid that Anna no longer lived there, but the back yard was exactly the same, as was the kitchen, so he decided to walk to Anna's room and see if she was there.

Down the hallway Erik walked, gazing at the new pictures and searching them for Anna. He was about to turn around and leave the house when he saw one picture that did indeed have Anna in it. It was the one he had seen the first time he had met Anna, the one where Anna was 14, and the longing glint was big in her eyes, though hidden.

"Anna?" he asked when he opened her door. Erik could not suppress a gasp at what met his eyes.

Anna's room was completely black. Everything from her stereo to her dressers to her bed was black. Even her lights were black lights. Opening up Anna's drawers (since Anna was not there), he saw that they were mostly empty, except for some black clothes.

Erik was horrified by all of the black he saw. One thing caught his eye. It was a blood-red book, sitting on Anna's desk. Erik picked it up and red the words (in black, of course) _Property of Anna. _It was a diary!

Curious, Erik flipped the book open and began to read...

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**I'm working on Chapter 10 right now, but I kinda feel like this story is too short... is it? Give opinions in reviews! **


	10. Anna's Diary and Despair

**Yeah this one is kind of short... but anyway, it's really dramatic... I like it.. Oh, and I have the next xhappie, but you're gonna have to wait until tomorrow before I post it! HaHa! I think I need to leave you guys really hanging for a day or two... LOL (Smiles evilly and rubs hands together)**

**Ok, I added a few entires to Anna's diary to make tia a little longer, so enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera, I just own Anna

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_August 4, 2005._

_Dear Diary,_

_I think I have gone insane. Either that, or I was dreaming all day today. My reason for this thought is this: I met THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA! Yes, the actual one! Erik, the one I have dreamed of and loved for as long as I can remember! He just... came into my room. He says he was frozen or something, and escaped a lab full of scientists. Kinda crazy, huh? I believe him, though, since it's crazy enough that he was even **here**. He sang to me, and his voice was just as I imagined it... amazing. I long so badly to tell him how much I love him, but I don't want to scare him..._

_August 5, 2005,_

_Erik came again today, and he KISSED ME! I can't believe it! He actually did! On my cheek, MINE! I almost melted on the spot!_

_August 6, 2005,_

_Today is not so good of a day. Ok, it's horrible! Last night, I learned that my parents... died in a car accident. I wouldn't have believed that if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes on the news. I don't think I would be here right now if it weren't for Erik. Speaking of him, I haven't seen him at all today! I wonder where he is..._

_November 3, 2005_

_Sorry I haven't been writing, but I've been busy. I still haven't seen Erik, and I think he has, well, abandoned me. It has, after all, been months, and I haven't seen him at all. I wonder if, maybe it all was a dream... Also, aunt Stacie hasn't been paying attention to me at all. It's a bit weird, actually._

_November 20, 2005,_

_Ok, I'm really staring to wonder what happened to Erik. Where is he? I haven't seen him in months! I really, really think he left me, but why? Why would he abandon me? I think it might be because he's scared to love another person after what happened with Christine Daae. That might be it, though I'm in no position to assume, really. But, if that is the case, I wish he would have told me, instead of leaving me here, alone..._

_January 7, 2006,_

_I still haven't seen Erik, and I'm worried about him. He doesn't know anyone here, in this time and place. What if he was captured by another traveling circus? What if, right now, he is being beaten and forced to show his face to hundreds of laughing and tormenting people? Oh, I hope he's okay, wherever -or whenever, if he somehow got back to 1861- he is. Even if he somehow found another girl that he fell in love with (for it is entirely possible that he was just being polite when he sang me to sleep and kissed me on the cheek), I just want him to be happy._

Erik flipped through about fifty more pages, stopping on a long one written in a shaky hand:

_December 25, 2008,_

_I have never felt so alone. I feel as if the darkness of despair is steadily consuming me. All of my friends have pulled away, and my aunt still doesn't even spend time with me. I haven't the heart to send her packing, though. I am sure that my dreams of Erik are also helping me along the road to despair, for they fill me with woe, and sadness._

_Actually, they are alright, for a little bit. He is there, are I can see him in my mind's eye. He sings to me, and I can hear his voice in my head. But then, he reaches out to hold me, and all I feel is air. That's when I realize that his voice is only in my head, and his body is only in my mind. I cannot really see him when he comes into my room, nor can I really hear him when he speaks. Worst of all, I cannot feel him when he holds me... or puts his lips to mine. _

_I know that those days, years ago, were only dreams, yet I wish they were real. They felt so real, but they can't have been. I wrote a dream down in my diary years ago, not an experience. However, I will never throw those pages away, for they are my only source of hope._

_But how helpful is this hope, I wonder...?_

Erik put the diary down with a shaky hand. His poor, poor Anna! What had happened to her during those years he had been gone? What had fate dealt her? He knew that he had to save her from her despair...

Erik heard the front door to the house open, and hid inside Anna's closet. He wrinkled his nose in disgust, as all of her clothes in there were black.

Anna entered her room and threw her black backpack on her black bed, and Erik barely kept from crying aloud. Her hair had been dyed jet black, and her nails were black. As for her face, it was lighter (by a little bit, no bleaching or anything), and her eyes were like round pools of darkness.

Anna immediately saw that someone had been in her room, and began looking for clues to who it might have been, since her aunt never approached her room. Erik recognized these signs of fear (disguised as rage), for he had also tried to conceal his emotions by making them look like anger, just like he did in the lab on his first day in 2005. After taking a deep breath, he opened the door of the closet and stepped into view.

"Anna," he breathed, his arms extended in front of him. Anna looked at him, and for a second her eyes were filled with that familiar longing sparkle. That moment soon passed, and her eyes became full of hate instead.

"You! What are you doing here?" she snarled, her eyes burning holes in Erik's gut (metaphorically).

"Anna, what has happened to you? You're... different. Why all this black?" Erik was trying to get Anna to answer and recognize him, even though he knew all of the answers to his questions.

"No! Don't even speak! Don't say a _single word_! You're just here to make me feel good for a little bit, but you're not real! And even if you were real long ago, you're not coming back! You left me, and you're never going to come back! So don't even try to sing to me, or give me those beautiful eyes, because I know that they aren't real, and it's all in my mind!" Anna had gone quite mad now, and was shouting at the top of her lungs.

"Anna, listen to me-"

"No! You're not coming back! I know you aren't! So go away, and never enter my mind again! Go! Go NOW!" Anna turned on her heel and stood facing the wall, her arms crossed in front of her.

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**Ooh, intense, huh? Like a soap opera... Anyway, roview, and tell me if my story is too short, or if you like it the way it is. I think I might finish this story tonight, because I'm just awake again and I have nothing else to do and I like writing! But I'll change it and make it longer if you guys think it's too short**


	11. A Day Alone

**So, how was waiting for this chappie, my reviewers? Naw, I'm just kidding. Actually, I would have put it up before now, but my dad got mad at me for leaving my candy wrappers all over the computer desk and wouldn't let me go on the computer yesterday... Boo. Oh, and in response to your concern, Ridel, about Erik being all black in stuff, too: That's true, but #1: When he last saw Anna, her laughter was joy-filled and she was almost like a summer day, so light and beautiful, and #2: His darkness is like, musical and magical darkness, full of beautiful sounds and things, while Anna was in the darkness of despair, which is like a hopeless, dark abyss... thing. I don't know, it's hard to explain, but they are two different darknesses, and Anna was like a summer day, so yeah... thank you for showing me what I can do better; I appreciate the constructive critisism (sp?).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PotO; I only own Sasha and Anna.

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Erik was stunned. Had Anna's despair really left her with so much madness? She stood now, with her back to him, after yelling at him to leave, and did not seem to care. She thought he was a figment of her imagination, for God's sake!

"Anna..." he whispered, approaching her slowly.

"Go... away... now," she demanded to her "imaginary" Erik. Anna didn't even turn around to look at him, for she believed that if she did, she would only see him in her mind. Erik didn't move, and Anna sneaked a glance at him after a while. When she still saw him standing there (to her, it was in her mind), she turned to face him.

"Why are you still here? Don't you see? I hate you! I hate you for haunting my thoughts all day and night! You aren't real! Leave me alone!" Anna was crying now, the tears flowing freely from her eyes. Erik reached out to her, but she ducked away from him and ran out the door. The sharp sound of breaking glass reached Erik's ears, and he looked down the hallway to see a shattered picture frame lying on the ground.

His heart filled with sorrow, Erik walked down the hall and picked up the picture. He turned it over, and gasped as he saw Anna's picture. It had been hers that had fallen from the wall; Hers that had broken.

Holding the photograph to his chest, Erik silently left the house. The front door was open, and he knew Anna had run through it. For a second, he was tempted to go after her, but he decided (with a clenched jaw and hard eyes) that maybe, just maybe, she needed to be alone... just for tonight.

_But... she could get hurt, _Erik thought as he shook his head in feeble amusement. One decision was always being countered by another pesky, mind-changing thought...

He peeked around Anna's front hedges and saw her small figure running down the street. He watched as she suddenly turned the corner, into a dead-end street that was adjoined to hers.

Making sure that his cloak was firmly pulled over the right side of his face, Erik started off down the street as fast as he could. His breathing was even, and he was glad that he had managed (somehow) to stay in shape (A/N: I'm am sooo not saying that Erik is fat or anything! In fact, he is downright HOT! I just mean that, well, he has been in jail for the last 4 years, so normally a person would not be able to run so fast).

Erik turned the corner just in time to see Anna enter the third house down on the street. He slowed his pace to jog, then a walk, until he stopped altogether.

_Well, at least I know where she is. I think I can even see the backyard of this house from my hill, so I can watch over her tonight, just as I should..._

Erik cut through another house's backyard, jumping over their fence and coming to his hill. He set up a little cave-like thing in the ground with some fallen tree branches, and sat down in it.

"Anna, my dearest," he breathed aloud to the silence, "I suppose today isn't the day that I am to hold you... But I swear to you and to myself, that that day will come."

Night came upon the town sooner than Erik expected, and the lights in the house were turned on. Erik could see through the many windows in the house perfectly, which pleased him, since he could see Anna better that way.

Anna and a girl close to her age entered a room together, and the girl turned on a stereo only slightly different from Anna's. Erik watched in wonder as the two girls danced wildly in the room to the music that was so loud it could reach his ears and he could clearly understand it.

_Obviously, Anna has made a friend, _he thought, and he found that, for some reason, that fact comforted him. _At least Anna can have fun tonight with someone she knows is **real**..._

Just thinking about that suddenly brought tears to Erik's eyes. Anna, his beloved Anna, had actually told him that she had hated him! She had said it, plainly and clearly, to his face.

_No! That wasn't Anna speaking! Those weren't her words, and they never will be! Those were the words of the darkness that has consumed her, the darkness that I must save her from._

Erik woke up the next morning groggily, surprised to find that he had fallen asleep. He immediately aimed his gaze at Anna's friend's window, and saw the two girls asleep. Anna was on the ground, her hair spread fan-like around her, and Erik smiled as he watched her sleep.

Erik sat there as Anna roused herself from her sleep. She had the most unpleasant feeling that someone was watching her, though she quickly dismissed the thought. It couldn't be so, she reasoned. Since she hadn't brought any spare clothes (and her house was right around the corner), she waited patiently, staring at the ceiling, for her friend to wake up.

"What are you doing up so early, Anna?" her friend asked.

"Oh, I just woke up a few minutes ago, Sasha. Why are you so worried?"

"Well, I don't know. You just need your rest, after all that emotional stress yesterday. I mean, having to see that daydream guy again? That must be tough, especially if he is as perfect as you say he is."

"Was," Anna's corrected softly under her breath, her eyes slowly glassing over with tears. she let them stay visible, though she did not let them fall from her eyes.

Anna and Sasha ate a quick breakfast, then Anna said goodbye.

"I have to go home. I'm really sorry though," Anna apologized, "Here I am, like 19 years old, and I have to come and spend the night at a friend's house down the street because of a daydream-nightmare thingy."

"No, it's okay," Sasha assured her, "I haven't had that much fun in a long, long time. I enjoyed it. You should have those daydreams more often, if it makes you come over for a night of dancing and fun!"

Anna blushed at her friend's outgoingness and began to walk along the sidewalk. She gave Sasha one last wave, then turned the corner.

Erik saw her leave, and followed her along the hill. In between houses, he sometimes caught a glimpse of her walking, and quickly saw that she was going home. He wanted again to go and confront her, but he felt that she needed time to herself for maybe another day.

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**Oh yeah, and did I ever tell you guys how I much I love y'all? Seriously, I totally love all the great reviews! Even constructive critisism (sp?) is appreciated! God, I even have family members and friends who don't read my work... So yeah, thank you to all my great reviwers (so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so much!) and... Oh yeah! I have created a new twist to the story which shall make it a little longer and more interesting, so I hope y'all will like it when I get it posted... it's not in this chappie, though**


	12. Betrayed Again

**Sorry it took a couple days to get this chappie up, I had to babysit over night for my cousins last night, and they don't have internet access (or cable, so I was way bored!) HaHa so this chappie has the twist, and it is a little repetitive of the original PotO, but it well get different, I promise, so just hang in there!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PotO or Pirates of the Caribbean. I only own Anna, Jake, and all the other characters that I have said are mine (which, unfortunately, does not include Erik)

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A week and a half later, Erik was still sitting in his cave. He had not had the heart to cause Anna the obvious distress that he had instilled upon her a week before. No matter how much he loved her, he was too scared to see that burning fire in her eyes, the fire that seemed to have opened up from hell itself.

One night, while Erik was sitting in his cave, he heard laughter echoing up from Anna's backyard. Listening carefully, he could pick out Anna's giggle, so soft and sweet, and it was just then that he realized just how much he had missed hearing it. Erik strained his ears, and could barely make pout another voice. A deep, resounding laugh. _A male laugh_!

"No..." Erik breathed as he stole silently down the hill, "No, God, please... don't let it be..." He reached Anna's fence and carefully peeked his eyes over it.

A fire was lit in a small barbecue in the middle of a sand box area. As Erik watched, Anna and another figure danced around the makeshift bonfire, and Anna was smiling brightly.

"**_Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirates life for me!_**

_**De Duh De De Duh and really bad eggs**_

_**Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!**_

**_Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirates life for me!"_** they sang, and then the boy fell backward into the sand. He reached up an arm and grabbed Anna's, pulling her down beside him as Erik watched with wide eyes.

"Oh my god, Jake! I can't believe I let you talk me into re-enacting The Pirates of the Caribbean! When did that movie come out? Like, 2003? God, that's a lot older than I actually thought!" Anna was smiling brightly and her laughter made speech almost impossible.

"But didn't you just love this scene when you watched it?" Jake asked as he put his arm lightly around Anna's shoulder.

_Get your hand off her you stupid little... _Erik was infuriated, but his legs would let him move from that spot, nor would his eyes tear themselves away from Anna and the boy with his arm around her.

Anna let her head rest lightly on Jake's muscular chest. _There is only one person in the world I would rather be doing this with... But no. He's not real. Not real..._

Anna sighed, and Jake titled her face up slightly. He leaned his head forward, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back.

"Ow! What the hell was that?" Jake asked as he turned around. Erik ducked low to the ground, grateful for the cover of darkness and his dark clothes. He smiled as he saw that the romance of the moment come to an end,and he especially liked the fact that it was he who had just ruined it.

"Oh, it's probably nothing," Anna smiled as she gave Jake a small kiss on the cheek. Erik gasped and bared his teeth when he saw her do that.

_No... no, please god, no. Don't... Anna... please god, don't let it be this way. No... Anna... _Tears fell silently from Erik's eyes as he watched Anna and Jake sit there for what seemed like an eternity, then they slowly got up and went into the house. Erik crept closer to see what would happen.

To his relief, Anna sent the boy away, but not (and this wasn't to Erik's relief) after kissing him in a more-than-friendly way. Erik stared as the boy drove away, then saw Anna collapse on the couch, and hand to her head and a small frown on her face.

Erik knew that he couldn't leave Anna. His body, his mind, his... heart would never, ever allow that. And he knew it, but how was he going to stay?

_I am **not**, under **any** circumstances, going to repeat what happened with Christine! I will **not** become a killer again! I love Anna, and I would kill for her, but I will **not **force her to choose like I did Christine! I'll just... have to show her that I am real, and I still love her. Yeah, that's it, and whatever she chooses, when she knows I'm real, will be what she shall have._

Erik was about to go inside when he saw that Anna was asleep. Silently, he slid the door open and walked over to her side. Her face was peaceful, and her dreams pleasant. Erik was relieved, when he kissed her cheek softly, that she didn't wake up. Despite the painful churning of his stomach, Erik felt almost as peaceful as Anna as he gazed at her sleeping figure.

"Sleep well, my angel," he whispered before drawing his cloak around his body and exiting carefully out the door.

He made his way slowly to his cave, sighing as his feelings of depression and self-pity returned. He lain down in the dirt, wondering to himself if that was to be the last night he would be sleeping there.

_Tomorrow I will show you I'm real, Anna, you'll see. Tomorrow I will show you. _Erik thought as drowsiness slipped secretly into his mind and began to take over.

"Tomorrow..."

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**HaHa I like the Pirates of the Caribbean part! I love Jack! He's phunny! But I love Erik waywaywayway more! If u have suggestions or anything bout anything I should change, say it in a review! ****Thank you so much once again to my beloved and much-appreciated reviewers! I totally love you guys!**


	13. Broken Hearts Mended

**HaHa this is a cool chappie, and I think you guys are gonna like it (well, at least I hope you will). I might end it here, if you guys think I should, or I can keep going.. it all depends on you guys and what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not, for the last time (or is it? depends on you guys!) own PotO. I really really really wish I did, but I don't. I own Anna (and I really really really really really wish I was her in this chappie!).

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The next day, when he was sure Anna was alone, Erik stole down the hill. He carefully pulled the sliding glass doors open, and stepped into the house. Anna, as he had known, was in her room. No music came through the speakers of her stereo, which made it even harder for Erik to walk down the hallway unnoticed (He did accomplish it, though).

Erik stood, staring at the almost completely closed door with a frown on his face, and sighed. What is Anna decided, even after she knew he was real, that she didn't love him anymore? Would he be able to handle it?

_A little late for doubt... _he thought grimly as he pushed the door open with a creaking sound that made him wince slightly. He saw Anna turn her chair around sharply in surprise, her eyes wide with fear.

She saw him, and her eyes filled instantly with tears of sadness. After a long time, she spoke."Why, Erik? Why won't you just let me be? You know I loved you once, but you're just not real... You were once, in 1861, but that was way before my time... I don't want to see you anymore. It pains me too much. Please go away," she sobbed, her voice steady even though she was trembling.

"Anna, you're wrong. I am real," Erik whispered, taking slow steps into the room. Anna looked at him sadly. She wanted to believe him, but she knew (even if it wasn't really true) that he was lying.

"You've said that before. I want to believe you, Erik, I really do, but you aren't real. You just aren't."

"Anna-"

"No! Go away! Leave me alone! I hate you!" Anna yelled, and she turned away from him and leaned her head against the wall. Her shoulders were shaking slightly, and Erik could hear her crying softly to herself. He hesitated for a second, then suddenly knew what he had to do.

**_" Beautiful child in darkness..._**

_**What kind of grief have you known?**_

_**I love you and I will show you**_

**_You are not alone!" _**Erik seized Anna's shoulders and whirled her around. Before she could stop him, he covered her mouth with his.

Anna's body stiffened and she stared at Erik's cheek, which was pressed gently against hers. Erik wrapped his arms loosely around her waist, then finally pulled his lips away.

Anna's breath came in deep, long gasps for air. Her chest rose and fell slightly every time she inhaled and exhaled. Her dark eyes were open wide as she gazed into Erik's bright, blue ones, and he watched as the sparkle grew and grew until her eyes glittered like he had seen them do before.

"Er... Erik?" she breathed, her voice barely above the squeak of a mouse. She had felt him. Had felt his lips... against hers. She had felt his arms around her. She had heard his voice, singing in her ears. He was... real.

"Anna..."

"Oh, Erik!" she cried, and her eyes filled with tears of joy as she fell into the arms of her true love. She couldn't believe it. Erik, her love and angel, was real, and he was holding her tightly.

Anna couldn't have said, even approximately, how long they stood there, holding each other as though they would be parted forever if they let go. She just knew that she felt wonderful, as though light was slowly filling her back up again.

Erik knew about as much as Anna did when it came to how long they were standing there together. He only remembered one thing about the whole experience, which was what they said at the end:

"Anna, I love you..."

"I love you, too."

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**HaHa I love this chappie! It's so romantic! Do you guys think I should end it here, or keep going? I have another ending (which I won't tell you about yet HaHa!) that I can use if I keep going, so do you think I should? Tell me in a review, my much-loved reviewers!**

**Oh, and if you haven't seen the Incredibles yet, you have to see it! Violet is awesome! And Jack-Jack is the coolest lil thing! HaHa I'm watching it right now (for the 4th time today) and I love it! In fact, the only things I love more than it are my family, Erik and PotO, my friends and, oh yeah... YOU GUYS! LOL just review, kk?**


	14. Apologies and Forgiveness

**Alright, since I got so many people asking me to continue, here is the "continued ending" (not the whole thing of course -DUH (LOL)- but a chappie of it**

**OMG And I am so so SO sorry to all my reviewers that it took me so long to get this chappie up! Spring Break ended, and I have been SWAMPED with homework! -cough- stupid teachers ****-cough- So yeah, it may take me a few days to get chappies up now that school is back on, but I will do my best, and it shouldn't take too long! Please hang in there, I shall try to make it worth your time! And I am going to start individually thanking all my reviewers, at the end of this chappie... look for your username

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"Erik, please, please forgive me. I didn't know you were real," Anna apologized over and over again. A sudden thought struck her, and she sang.

"**_Angel my soul was weak, forgive me._**

**_But you're here at last, master." _**Her voice was beautiful, though Erik could hear many flaws in it, and knew that she had not practiced singing in a long, long time.

"There is nothing to forgive, my love," he whispered as he brought his lips to hers again. He felt so relieved, so enlightened. Anna loved him. She really, really loved him!

"It's just, when you left, I didn't know what to do. I tried to remain cheerful, but I'm afraid that the sorrow and grief in my attitude was very apparent, and my friends slowly slipped away. My aunt never spent time with my, too busy hanging out with her bastard friends and partying to give a dime for my skin. I didn't know where to turn. I felt so... unaccepted, and unloved... as though everyone in the world thought that I was a different, impure... thing."

"Like, you were different? And no one took time to look past your exterior and gaze upon the beautiful soul within?" Erik was relaying Anna's feelings in such a simple way. It made Anna fell better to know that her feelings could be put into words.

"Yes. How did you... Oh, I... I see... I'm sorry, I forgot," Anna turned her head away from Erik and gazed at the wall.

Erik reached out a gentle hand and turned Anna's face toward his with his fingers, "A comment like that would never be something for me to have to forgive, Anna. Do you know how long I have wanted to know that someone could look at me and forget that I look the way I do? I have waited for my whole life for someone to look at me without fear, without curious eyes. I have longed for someone to look and me and have their gaze not play around the edges of the mask I used to wear, as though it was all they could do to not tear my mask away from the face that sits behind it. I... I love you, Anna"

Anna smiled and laughed, the sweet sound that Erik loved so dearly filling the room. She was laughing, not of amusement, but more of relief. Her heart fluttered and began to beat madly as Erik reached out a hand and gently pushed a stray lock of dark hair out of her face.

The sparkle in her eyes was bigger than it had ever been before, but Erik knew that, as long as he was there, the sparkle would begin to die away as her dreams became reality. He hoped that they would be replaced by a loving glitter of happiness, which (he imagined) would be even more beautiful. He only knew this because it had happened with Christine Daae. She, too, had longed to meet him, and had developed that sparkle, which had gone away shortly after meeting him. Unfortunately, what with all the confusion between her, Raoul, and Erik himself, she had never gotten the loving glitter (at least, as far as Erik knew).

He felt tears come to his eyes, but blinked them back and looked away for a second so Anna would not notice them and possibly get confused. When he felt that it was safe to look back, he did, and immediately kissed Anna again. Oh, how Erik loved the sensation of kissing the one he loved and who loved him!

Anna let her fingers slide softly through Erik's rich, dark hair, and held one of his arms around her waist. Her eyes closed lazily as she savored the feeling, and she always renewed the kiss when Erik began to pull away. Their lips were together for what seemed like a lifetime, and Anna still felt like it had ended too soon when they reluctantly pulled apart.

"What time is it?" Erik asked sleepily after a while, a small smile playing across his face and his eyes half-shut.

"Actually, it's quite late..." Anna answered, "It's 9:48 at night. We should, uh, probably go to bed."

Erik nodded and stood up, but Anna caught his sleeve before he could move. "Don't go!" she hissed, her eyes wide with fear, "Last time you left, you didn't come back! Stay here!" Erik's eyes grew large in surprise for a second, and he wasn't sure what to think. Random thoughts flashed through his head uncontrollably for a minute or so.

_She really doesn't want me to go- It's all those stupid scientists fault that I was gone, dearest- Her eyes are beautiful- I wonder if we can get her hair back to normal- I love you, Anna- I won't leave you- I wonder if those scientists are still alive- Probably not the older one, Raldy was it?- What about her nails?- I love you, Anna- I'll stay- What about the noise?- No, I'm used to it by now, stupid faulty plumbing in prison- Drip, drip, drip- Drove me crazy- Ah, well... I should probably say something now..._

"Of course I won't leave you, _mon ange _(my angel)," Erik whispered as he knelt back down beside Anna and wrapped her delicate fingers in his long, slender ones. She sighed in relief and smiled slightly, suddenly aware of how tired she was.

As Anna stood up, she suddenly thought of something. _What room is he going to sleep in? I mean, I don't want to be away from him for even a second, and yet... I don't really want to be asleep in the same room with him... Things could get... weird..._ Anna cursed under her breath and kicked herself for not thinking about it sooner.

"So, would you like me to sleep on the floor then, mademoiselle?" Erik asked innocently, and Anna sighed again. Of course! One of them would sleep on the floor, but she wouldn't let it be Erik. He had been through enough troubles, and needed a good night's sleep more than she did.

"Oh, no... I'll sleep on the floor," she claimed, "Don't worry about it."

She strode out of the room to the hallway closet, retrieved several blankets, and balanced them carefully in her arms as she made her way slowly back to her own room. She entered the room, but was surprised to see that Erik wasn't there. For a second, Anna was about to panic, when she felt strong arms around her waist from behind her. They spun her around slowly, until she was facing the man they belonged to.

Erik kissed her again, and did not pause when the blankets fell out her arms and onto the floor. This time, it was he who ran his fingers through Anna's dark hair, gently massaging her scalp and loving the feeling of her melting into his touch. He ran his tongue softly along Anna's lower lip, and she complied, opening her mouth and allowing him access.

Anna pulled away slowly and hesitantly, then bent over to pick up the blankets, but Erik beat her to them.

"And you such a fair, beautiful woman? How could you possibly ask me not to worry about it?" He smiled and arranged the blankets on the floor, then left for a minute to give Anna time to change into her night clothes. She called to him when she was ready, and he stepped into the room to find Anna in a beautiful silk nightgown, with a dainty strip of lace at her shoulders.

Anna smiled and slid between the sheets on her bed. Erik removed his shirt (A/N: Aaahhh! So HOT!) and slid between his blankets on the floor. They both lay motionless for a few silent and awkward minutes.

_God, this is crazy. What the hell am I supposed to do? This is way too weird and uncomfortable... _Anna thought, her mind too full of confusing thoughts to allow room for drowsiness. Suddenly and without really thinking, she arose from her bed. She crossed the room to where Erik was sleeping, and slid in next to him in the makeshift bed (A/N: With her nightgown **on, **don't get any wrong ideas...).

Erik was astounded beyond words, beyond _breath_. For a second he lay, silently suffocating, until Anna leaned her head forward and planted a kiss in the corner of his mouth. She thought he was asleep (as though he could sleep knowing that she was awake!).

To show Anna that he was not yet sleeping, Erik wrapped his arms around her, giving her just enough room to adjust her position while still letting her know that he was there and loved her dearly. She shifted just a little bit so that her head had room to rest itself on Erik's strong, perfectly shaped chest. Even though her floor was none too soft, Anna could not have imagined feeling more comfortable.

Erik stayed awake long after Anna had dozed off, the hair at the top of her head cradling his face gently. He lay there, drowning in his love for Anna, until sleepiness could no longer be ignored, and he nodded off.

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**OK, so here are a few thank-yous to all of my reviewers who have reviewed so far, you can skip these if you don't wanna read them...**

**Baby-Vixen-** No, don't hurt the kitty! LOL And of course you were talking about me with all that cute talk! I'm just too damn cute, I know, I know... Naw, I'm just kidding, and being hyper is my WORLD!

**caitspotter-** I won't end it yet, and I'm thinking of a "continued-continued ending" for the reviews who want me to write it... HaHa

**FemaleErik- **Ok, I'll keep going, and I have thought of even more to add to the end of this ending if my reviewers want...

**Ridel-** Yeah, Jake was the main reason I was going to keep going... something interesting will happen with him. And Anna will explain what happened to her aunt, because I forgot to put it in the last few chappies... (DOH!) And thank you for telling me how I can do better, I always appreciate constructive criticism. Thank you for sticking with this story!

**LadyAniviel-** Yeah, there will be more chappies, I promise, and I love the romance too!

**Madame Opera Ghost-** Yeah, Jake will come in soon, and it'll get good (I hope, since that's just my opinion and all) and I agree, 13 chappies isn't enough!

**TheAngel'sMaggie- **Thank you. I'm glad you like it, and I'm glad to that Anna came to her senses too, I couldn't hurt Erik :snuggles Erik:

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx: **Yeah I'll keep going, thank you so much for being a dedicated reviewer!

**Melissa Aminta-** I won't end it yet, don't worry, and thank you, I'm glad you think it's a good story!

**Juliya- **Thank you so much, I'll be sure to keep going!

**phantomgoddess34- **I know, it was kind of surprising, even to me, that I decided to make her go goth, but I thought it would make the story more interesting. I'm glad you like the story!

**MagickAlianne- **Thank you so much for being such a faithful reviewer! I love your reviews and anticipate getting them (and the cookie LOL) I couldn't stop laughing when I got that first cookie!

**Kim- **I know! I would be all over him and more:snuggles Erik:

**Nixieharpist- **Don't worry, they will get a happy ending (or will they...? I might change my mind... Muhuhahaha)

**Claire- **Yeah, I know... I goofed! Oops! My dad told me that, and I was like 'Damn!' But I didn't want to change it, so I came up with an excuse!

**Ruiner of Worlds- **I'm glad you like it! Yeah, I know, the beginning was hard to come up with (too many people use the 'space time continuum' as a way to have Erik come to our time! I needed something different) And yeah, he would have known about America... My bad...

**Jonochi- **Yeah, I imagine it too :hugs Erik tighter: but why do I have to imagine when I have the real thing?(LOL... just kidding of course :Damn:)

**Just-an-Echo- **Thank you, I'm glad you like my idea for a story!

**Countess Vladislaus Dragu- **Thank you, love your review! And I'm sorry about your username, did you mean Countess Vladislaus Dragulia? If you did, love it! Dracula is hot (but not as hot as Erik:snuggles:) If you didn't, still love it!

**TheMeginator- **Thank you, I'm happy you like it! And yeah, I'll write more!

**neverliedown- **Yeah, Erik may be a stalker, but he's a hot stalker, and he's MY STALKER :hugs Erik so that he can barely breathe! LOL love your review!

**River Eagle Weldon- **Thank you, I'm glad you like my idea!

**So yeah, thank you to all of my great, wonderful, adored, much-loved reviewers! HaHa I love adjectives today! So yeah, Sorry again that it took me so long to get this chappie up, I'll try and be faster with my next update, but I'm not sure how much homework I'll get... -cough- stupid homework, stupid school, stupid crazy teachers who love to torture me -cough- So yeah, I hope you enjoyed this chappie, more to come later!**


	15. An Unexpected Phone Call

**I hope you guys will like this chappie, its gets a little tension started, and a pleasant event will happen in most likely the next chappie... but then... _dun dun DUN! _Something not so pleasant will happen. Oh, and more reviewer thank-yous after the story. Oh, yeah, and before I forget... celebrating 60 reviews! OMG I LUV U PEOPLE! I honestly thought no one would read my story in the beginning, and look at me now! LUV U GUYS SO SO MUCH! Keep the reviews coming, LUV getting them! **

**And sorry again that it took so long to get this particular chappie up... I even had homework OVER THE WEEKEND! Isn't that a crime! Illegal! Something! (Wait... illegal and crimes are the same thing... Oh well, bear with me, people, bear with me) And we went to the mountains and it was cold and I DIDN'T EVEN GET SICK! Which, yes, is a bad thing, because I had to go to school today and I could've gotten this chappie up sooner... But hey, you probably aren't here to hear (or... read, actually) my lame excuses, you just want to hear (or... read, actually) the story, so here goes...

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**-We interrupt this chappie before it even begins to bring you... my DISCLAIMER!- Ok, I know, I forgot to put a disclaimer in Chapter 14, but that's because I owned PotO for that chappie! No, I'm just kidding, I didn't own it then and guess what... I don't own it now -gasp- No way! Bet you didn't know that! HaHa I'm hyper, sorry bout that...**

**-We interrupt this chappie again before it even begins to bring you... FOOTBALL!- HaHa, yeah right, I hate football... sorry people, I needed laughs. Tell me in a review if you laughed right then, ok? And if it was lame, tell me too! Ok, now with the REAL story...

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Anna awoke the next morning with the sweet smell of soap filling her nose. She wanted nothing more than to stay there forever, wrapped securely in Erik's firm, protective, loving embrace. She looked up, met with the wonderful sight of Erik's peaceful face, still resting gently in the crown of her hair. It was then that Anna really got her first good look at Erik's deformity.

_Oh, my dear Erik. Your poor, poor face... But you know what? I don't care what you look like. I love you. _Anna wished Erik could hear her thoughts. She really didn't mind Erik's deformity one little bit. She thought about it long and hard and finally realized that, had Erik had a normal face, he may have turned out to be a mean, horrible person, obsessed with himself as most attractive men were. She didn't know, of course; no one could, but she knew that he would have turned out different, and she loved him just the way he was.

Erik's eyes fluttered open noiselessly, and Anna gasped in surprise, scared at Erik's sudden movement. Upon hearing the sound, Erik instinctively covered the right side of his face with his hand and backed away, his eyes now wide in fear and worry.

"Oh no, Erik," Anna breathed, a smile making its way into her beautiful features, "Don't worry, it wasn't your face... it was just... you woke up so silently, it surprised me." Erik sighed in relief and lowered his hand (however reluctantly so). He smiled weakly and shyly, but kept his distance. Anna noticed this, and extended her hand out to Erik.

"Are you alright, Erik? You seem... nervous," Anna murmured softly. Erik looked at her hand for a second, almost as if he was wondering what to do with it, but he did take it at last.

_Goodness, how timid you are, my love, _Anna thought to herself as she felt how gently and softly Erik was holding her hand.

_Oh, my dearest Anna... I am so unworthy of your love... _Erik thought as he softened his grip on Anna's fingers (even though he was barely holding her already). He didn't want to hurt her at all, and feared that she would, at any given moment, realize who he was and what he looked like and become terrified, like the rest of the world.

Anna sensed this, and leaned forward and touched the skin of his lips with hers to reassure him that she loved him.

"I love you, Erik."

"Do you? Do you really?" Erik asked her, hoping that she would say yes.

"Erik, of course I do! How could I not? But... _are_ you alright, my love? You're acting so timid, and anxious..." Anna, for the life of her, could not understand why Erik was suddenly acting so weird, and wondered why he seemed like he had forgotten everything about the previous night.

"Yes, my darling... I am fine. It's just, well... I mean, this is... it never really dawned on me before now... I'm _loved. _You probably would not understand it, Anna, for it is a very complicated and... interesting feeling. I never thought, I mean, I have always felt that I was destined to live my life unloved and unaccepted by the world, and now... I'm being told that I'm loved!" He suddenly laughed (rather nervously, though) and swiftly moved forward and kissed Anna, caressing her head gently in both of his hands.

Anna was a bit taken aback by Erik's sudden action, but that's not to say that she did not enjoy it. She gazed in surprise and love at Erik's scarred cheek, and found herself loving it all the more. True, she did despise it a little, for the fate it had condemned Erik to, what with the cage and the hatred from everyone, but she also loved it for turning Erik into the man before her.

The telephone rang, and Anna cursed it again (in her mind, of course), and hesitantly pulled away from Erik, running down the long hallway. She picked up the phone just before the answering machine got it.

"Hello?" she asked brightly, twirling the cord (because yes, this was a cord phone) around her fingers.

"Anna, what's up? Its Jake. How are you?" Anna froze, staring at the receiver and barely breathing.

"Oh, shizzit," she breathed (A/N: I got that word from Dickie Roberts: Child star. Great movie! Hilarious!), then spoke into the phone, "Oh, hi Jake. Uh, I'm fine, but there is something I have to tell you." Her mind was spinning. How could she have forgotten Jake that easily?

"Ok, what is it?" Jake was so happy, it seemed. Anna swallowed, knowing that his pleasant attitude would diminish quickly when he found out what she was going to tell him.

_Oh, God, help me! How do I say this to Jake? Am I supposed to just go "Hey Jake, well... I'm not sure how to say this, but... I'm dumping you. See, it's like this: You may or may not know about the Phantom of the Opera, but I went to see it, and I fell in love with the Phantom. Well, he existed in 1861, but he was cryogenically frozen in his lair, and some scientists brought him back to life about 5 years ago, and he somehow found his way to my house. It was kind of a love-at-first-sight thing, but then he went away for 4 years, and that's when you and I met. So anyway, now he came back, and I've fallen back in love with him, and... I just don't feel the same way about you as I feel about him, so... I guess this is goodbye."_

_Uh, no, _Anna thought, _For some strange reason, I don't think that's gonna work out the way I want it to._

Erik came around the corner, and saw Anna standing there, deep in thought and not noticing Jake calling her name through the phone. "Anna, my love, are you alright? Now it is you who seems nervous."

_Nervous? Me? No, of course not... Why would I be nervous? I mean, I'm supposed to break up with my boyfriend and tell him that I'm in love with someone who was alive over a hundred years ago but was frozen and brought back to life! Nervous? No, not at all, my friend... _(A/N: Don't you just love sarcasm?)

Anna suddenly heard Jake over the phone, and answered him, "Uh, well, Jake... It's kind of a hard thing to say, but... I just don't think that this whole thing is working out between us. I mean, you're a nice guy and all, but I just feel tha-"

"What! Are you breaking up with me!" Jake questioned loudly, and Anna had to hold the phone a foot away from her ear. Erik's eyes widened when he heard the sudden outburst, and he was tempted to yell back at the ignorant boy.

"Jake, calm down! Look, I am breaking up with you, but you'll find other girls. Girls who can give you the treatment you deserve!" Anna was trying desperately to calm Jake's nerves. He was a nice boy, but he had a fearful temper that he sometimes couldn't control, and she was scared of it.

Several loud, deep breaths were heard on the other end, "Ok, Anna, ok. I overreacted. Alright... so, this is goodbye," Jake sounded like he was using all of his strength to not shout again, "So, uh... goodbye."

Anna was actually surprised that Jake was being so reasonable. It was characteristically unlike him, "Yes, Jake... this is goodbye. I'm really sorry. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course, Anna... of course."

"Are you alright, Jake? About this whole thing?"

"I'm fine, Anna. Thank you for... _caring. _So, goodbye. I expect to see you... around, I suppose."

"What do you mean?" A click and some static was Anna's only answer. She sighed, and turned to Erik. He offered her a feeble smile, though he had little idea of what was going on, and was a bit shaken by the whole outburst. She seemed even shakier, though, and he put his arms around her and kissed her softly on the cheek.

"Are you alright, _mon ange?_" he asked, and she slowly nodded, but he could tell that something was clearly troubling her. Not wanting to confront her about it, though, he said nothing. He held her tighter (though certainly not enough to cause her any pain) and kissed her again, and she smiled slightly.

"Erik, there's something I've been wanting to ask you," she murmured, and he told her with his eyes to ask him. "Have you been wanting at all to go to the theater? To see a play? A certain play, or, indeed, any play at all?"

"Are you talking about the Phantom of the Opera?" he asked her, a smile creeping across his face. She nodded again.

"Or any play at all, if it would be uncomfortable watching your own life story. I understand that it might be a little... unnerving to watch yourself and Christine, especially with what happened between you and everything."

Erik thought about it. He knew that it would be slightly weird, but he _was_ curious to see how the future represented him. He was so curious, in fact, that he decided to swallow his emotions and go.

"It actually would be rather interesting," he muttered, and Anna smiled. He laughed and they kissed again, passionately yet modestly.

"I can get us tickets for the show in about three months, since the show is coming to California. It's amazing, really. Your show has been around so long, you wouldn't believe, and yet people still love it. It really is the most wonderful story I -anyone- has ever seen, though I'll admit I'm exaggerating, and being rather stereotypical. It's really is a great story, though, and you are not thought of at all as a heartless..." she swallowed and shuddered in disgust, "... Devil's Child, as some thought of you before. In fact, I think you'll find that you have many... fans out there, who love you dearly (A/N: Sound familiar, anyone?). But listen to me, I'm rambling on again. Getting to the point, do you want to go?"

Erik nodded and chuckled to himself, knowing that Anna only rambled on when she was relieved or enlightened, "Thank you, Anna. It would be... marvelous, I feel. So, three months?"

"Yes, three months," Anna answered, and Erik suddenly had the urge to kiss her again, and kiss her he did.

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**LadyAniviel**- Yeah, she will ditch the whole goth thing, don't worry... I don't really care for her being goth, either... :blech:

**Countess Vladislaus Dragu**- Glad you loved the update, sorry this one took so long, and I still love your username, no worries (_hakuna matata!) _LOL Lion King... classic!

**TheAngel'sMaggie**- I'm glad you loved this chappie, it was fun to write! And a shirtless Erik... :drools: Oh, man, don't get me started!

**Baby-Vixen**- Oh, cute lil kitty! So cute! Oh, and my friend (xXChocaholicXx) told me that you read and reviewed our story (Jack and Rum and Some other Ridiculous Stuff). Thank you so much! We're working on our sequel, and I'll try to let you know when it gets posted.

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx**- Oh, I know... I hate school! It's sop boring, and it keeps me from updating fast!

**Madame Opera Ghost**- Glad you liked the chappie. I'll update as soon as I can. Love your reviews!

**Kim**- I'm glad you like this story! Erik is hotter than hot! Aaaahhhh! Man, I would give almost anything to have him hold and kiss me, too!

**Just-an-Echo**- Thank you, I'm so glad you like it! But man, Erik with his shirt off? Hot? What am I talking about?... He's FLAMIN' HOT! Hotter than that:uncontrollable drooling:

**caitspotter**- Yep, I love continued-continued endings! And that's another thing we have in common, besides the sugar! YAY HYPERNESS!

**Lord Hiro**- I'll update as fast as homework will let me -cough- stupid homework, stupid school -cough- I'm glad you like the story, keep reviewing!

**PhantomsHeart**- Wow! Thank you so much! I'm so so so so glad that you like it! I'm glad I didn't leave it after chappie 13, too!

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**Oh, so romantic, I love it! But what will happen with Jake and his nasty temper? What will happen when they go to see Phantom of the Opera (probably not much, just to let you know, I just thought it would be nice... with the PotO play, but something exciting will happen with Jake). Once again, thank you to all my great reviewers, and I'll try to get chappies up AOAP (as often as possible).**

**Oh, yeah, and I was going to write 2 other stories on fanfiction, let me tell you a bit about them... **

**1: More book-based (Leroux), but kinda a book/movie mix. Erik doesn't die at the end, but lives to make sure Christine keeps her promise. When she does, he decides that death may not be so bad, but then he sets eyes on a young dancer. Will our beloved Phantom find love, or will he die after all?**

**2: Christine's daughter goes to the opera house and finds herself come upon a strange door, leading to a staircase that seems to go down the dark abyss of hell itself. Regardless, she descends, and finds herself not in hell, but in what could possibly be the heaven of her life, when she meets a certain familiar angel...**

**So there you go... Do you think I should post the stories, or just toss them? Let me know in a review, beloved reviewers!**


	16. A Familiar Musical

**Ok, I don't have time for reviewers responses tonight, but I'll put them all in the next chappie, i promise! Enjoy this chapie, but i have to go to bed now, Goodnight, peps!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own PotO

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Anna got the tickets, and she almost got sick waiting for the day of the show to come around. While they were waiting, of course, Anna dyed her hair back to its natural brown color, and Erik helped her to wipe the many layers of black nail polish off of her nails (A/N: HaHa she's not goth anymore!).

Finally, it was the day of the show, and Anna spent over two hours getting ready for it. This was to be first actual "date" with Erik, and she wanted everything to go as well as it could, if not perfect.

Her attire was a sleek, navy blue dress with matching blue gloves and a (totally cute!) blue purse. She knew what Erik would be wearing (for it was she, of course, who had shown him how to wield the iron so that he could iron the new black suit she had gotten him), but was glad that _she_ could surprise _him_. It was a rather nice theater that they were going to, and she was rather nervous about looking like a fool.

She also hoped that no one would recognize Erik. She had thought about it, and prayed that he would pass unnoticed. Three knocks could be heard at last on her door, and she opened the door to reveal Erik, clad in a tuxedo (who woulda guessed?), his cloak, and the rubber mask that could be easily (though mistakenly) recognized as flesh. He presented her with a single crimson rose, a black ribbon tied elegantly around the stem.

"Dearest, if your clock is correct, then now would be the time to leave," he remarked brightly, taking her hand. Anna immediately noticed how much more sure his grip was, and smiled at him. They walked to the front yard, where Anna had even gone to the trouble of renting a limousine (like I said, she wanted everything to go right, and she felt that driving would only allow them half the conversation, so she hired a limousine).

"What is that?" Erik asked, nodding toward the limo (which was a kind of small one, just perfect for two people).

"'That', my dear, is the stagecoach of the 21st century," Anna answered, giggling (A/N: HaHa I love that! "stagecoach of the 21st century" LOL). The driver opened the door with a pleasant smile, and Erik helped Anna to enter the limo. When she was comfortable, he entered after her, and the driver started off.

"So, Erik... are you nervous?" Anna asked him, lifting his arm so that she could lean onto his chest then putting it back down around her.

"I'm not really sure, actually," Erik muttered, drawing his arm more firmly around Anna, "I think I shall most likely know when we get there."

"Remember, if you feel at all uncomfortable or anything, we can leave. It's honestly no trouble, and I really don't need to see the play when I have the main star." Anna kissed Erik lightly on the cheek, and they each spent the rest of the ride in a deep silence (though, don't get me wrong; it was a nice and comfortable one, not an awkward one at all).

At long last, the driver pulled the limo up to the curb. "Mademoiselle, Monsieur, we are here," he spoke through the little window thing(y) that Anna rolled down for him. Anna thanked him, and she and Erik got out of the limo. Erik nodded his head in a sort of bowing way and took Anna's arm. Together they walked toward the theater, though Erik had a much more purposeful and composed stride than Anna, who was still nervous.

Anna squeezed Erik's arm lightly, and he turned and smiled at her. When he looked into her eyes, he suddenly felt... _warm_, almost shy, though he was determined (as always) to hide his emotions. Erik cleared his throat and handed the doorman their tickets, and the doorman indicated a door on their right which would lead to their seats.

The place was full of people, and Anna and Erik found it a bit difficult to stay together while walking through the huge crowd. Erik saw that they had just about reached their seats when a teenage girl accidentally tripped over the skirts of her dress and collapsed into his arms.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir," she muttered, looking at the ground in an embarrassed manner.

"That's quite all right, mademoiselle," Erik replied, a pleasant yet slightly amused smile playing across his features. The girl straightened up and glanced at his eyes and looked away quickly, but her eyes were focused on his again within a second.

_Oh god, this is what I feared, _Anna thought as she began to make her way toward Erik (for they had become a little separated in the crowd).

"Hey, you know what?" the foolish young teenager asked Erik, her eyes curiously bright. Erik was a bit taken aback by the fact that she had addressed him, but (of course) did not show it.

"I'm afraid not, mademoiselle," Erik answered, turning and smiling at Anna as she appeared by his side.

"You look like you would make a great Phantom," the girl told him, blushing as a boy around her age approached her and took her arm, leading her away after nodding politely to Anna and Erik, who shared comic glances and began to laugh heartily to themselves. Anna and Erik made their way to their seats quickly, and sat down.

"Goodness, if only she knew," Anna giggled once they were seated. Erik nodded and removed his cloak, draping it carefully across the armrest of the seat. Anna leaned over a bit she laid her head on Erik's shoulder, and Erik took her hand gently. Together, they waited patiently for the show to start.

"Sold! Your number sir? Thank you," the man playing the auctioneer exclaimed, starting the show to thunderous applause.

"Lot 665, Ladies and Gentlemen, a papier mache musical box in the shape of a barrel organ. Attached, the figure of a monkey in Persian robes playing the cymbals. This item discovered on the vaults of the theater, still in working order, ladies and gentlemen."

"Showing here," the theater was filled with the delicate and soft sound of the musical box playing. Anna heard a sharp intake of breath, and looked up to find Erik's eyes wide. She giggled and told him that the music box was a fake and not the real thing, and he relaxed somewhat, but he tensed when he heard that Raoul had his box.

"Did that... really happen?" Erik whispered in Anna's ear softly, "Did that... Vicomte get my music box?" Anna almost giggled, because she knew Erik had tried very hard not to call Raoul something nasty.

"I'm not really sure, actually," Anna murmured back, and Erik leaned back in his seat, attempting to relax, "But we can go if you're at all uncomfortable..." Erik nodded, but told her that he was fine, so leaned against him once more.

"... Some of you may recall the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera, a mystery never fully explained. We are told, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very chandelier which figures in the famous disaster. Our workshops have restored it, and fitted up parts of it with wiring for the new electric light, so that we may get a hint of what it may look like when re-assembled... Perhaps we may frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination, gentlemen?"

The chandelier was hoisted up above the crowd, and the play continued, starting with the rehearsals for Hannibal. (A/N: I'm not going to go through the whole play, of course, just the good parts that I think Erik would have some emotion with or something). When "Christine" started singing Think of Me, Erik began to take deep breaths. Anna looked at him and kissed him gently on the cheek, and he calmed down, after kissing her back. Anna was a bit worried about how Erik would react to seeing the rest of the play, but she was confident that he would at least be able to compose himself when she was around.

**_"We never said our love was evergreen_**

_**Or as unchanging as the sea**_

_**But please promise me that sometimes**_

**_You will think o-of me!" _**The crowd burst into applause as the actress playing Christine finished her song, and Erik half-heartedly clapped along with everyone else.

_Why is this affecting me so? Pull yourself together, Erik. It's just a play, and Anna said you can leave at any time... You'll be alright. Ok, deep breath... Compose yourself... That's better._

Christine was then shown in her dressing room, and Erik somehow knew what was going to happen next. He mouthed the words under his breath.

**_"Bravi, Bravi, Bravissimi..."_**

The play went on, and Erik could not help but clench his fists once as Raoul came in. If only things had been different... but did he want them to be anymore? Erik glanced at Anna uneasily. He did not know the answer to that question.

The person playing Erik himself took Christine below to the labyrinth, and Anna could almost feel the tension in the theater. _Goodness, how these people get worked up over this story! _When she though about it more, though, she realized that she had been the same way when she had first seen it. _Maybe, it's because I have Erik... Maybe that's why it doesn't affect me the same way..._

Half and hour later (A/N: I just estimated there, just to let you know), the people playing Raoul and Christine emerged on the "rooftop" of the "opera house." Anna glanced at Erik every few seconds. This was what she had been nervous about.

**_"Why have you brought us here?"_**

_**"Don't take me back there!"**_

_**"We must return!"**_

_**"He'll kill you! His eyes will find us there!"**_

_**"Christine, don't say that..."**_

_**"Those eyes that burn!"**_

Erik felt his breath catch in his chest, and struggled to breathe without making it seem like the effort it was. The air seemed thick and heavy around him, and he felt, for a fleeting instant, that an invisible pillow was pressed over his face, suffocating him. Anna immediately noticed this, and touched his face gently, her eyes searching his desperately.

"Erik, are you okay?" she asked. When he did not instantly answer, she kissed him passionately. Erik felt the "pillow" being lifted, and sank back in his seat, his brow damp with beads of sweat. What a relief it was to breathe freely again!

"I am... fine, Anna. I'm fine," he answered, and Anna kissed him again, and once again reminded him of their freedom to leave.

Erik was able to watch the rest of Act I without further emotional breakdowns, even when Christine and Raoul kissed, though he felt that that was only because Anna squeezed his hand gently to remind him that she was there. He stood up for intermission, and Anna stood with him.

"_Mon ange... _I am fine, though I don't want to seem a burden for you-"

"Erik, it's ok. If you want to go, we can. It won't bother me at all. Know that and remember it, Erik. You're no burden at all, but a blessing, my love." Anna leaned forward slightly, but did not kiss him this time, because of all the people surrounding them.

"Anna, I love you."

"And I love you."

The lights of the theater flashed a few times, signaling the beginning of Act II. Anna and Erik once again resumed their seats, more comfortably now. They each felt that an emotional burden had been lifted from their shoulders at the mention of their love.

xxX And then the show goes on and on, you get the idea... So anyway, skipping to the end of Past the Point of No Return Xxx

(A/N: And when I say the Phantom, I mean the one in the play, and when I say Erik, I obviously mean Erik.)

**_"Past the point of no return_**

_**The final threshold**_

_**The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn!**_

**_We've passed the point of no return..." _**Christine and the Phantom sang passionately, a fire of power and love in their voices, and Anna found herself wondering if the two actors had not fallen in love, a question she got from the way they sang and looked at each other. Of course, they could have just been really, really good actors. The Phantom began to sing, and Erik found himself mouthing the words again absentmindedly.

**_"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime_**

_**Lead me, save me from my solitude**_

_**Say you'll want me with you here, beside you...**_

_**Anywhere you go, let me go to!**_

**_Christine, that's all I ask of you!" _**Erik suddenly realized that he had not mouthed the exact words, though. While the Phantom had sang "Christine, that's all I ask of you," Erik had sang something _in between _that and "_Anna_, that's all I ask of you..."

Christine tore off the Phantom's mask, and his ugliness was displayed to the whole theater. Erik's hand flew instantly to his face, but Anna caught it in time. She did not want any of the theater-goers to get suspicious, so she lowered his hand gently and took it in hers.

xxX Skipping some more to where the Phantom is singing sadly Xxx

**_" This face which earned _**

_**A mother's fear and loathing**_

_**A mask, my first**_

_**Unfeeling scrap of clothing...**_

_**Pity comes too late!**_

_**Turn around and face you fate!**_

_**An eternity of this **_

**_Before your eyes!" _**Erik was still forming the words breathlessly with his lips. He couldn't help it. Raoul in the play came, and he saw the Phantom, _himself, _threaten the young Vicomte.

**_"Order your fine horses now!_**

_**Raise up your hand to the level of your eyes!**_

_**Nothing can save you now,**_

**_Except perhaps Christine!" _**Erik was shocked. What kind of monster had he been? How could he have forced Christine to choose like that? Now wonder he hadn't wanted to repeat that mistake with Anna and Jake. It was hideous behavior! Now Erik understood what Christine had meant when she sang "It's in your soul that the true distortion lies..."

Erik came back to reality just as the play's climax was about to end. Christine was approaching the Phantom, and he, like Anna, could feel the crowd waiting with bated breath.

**_"Pitiful creature of darkness_**

_**What kind of life have you known?**_

_**God gave me courage to show you**_

**_You are not alone!" _**she moved forward sharply and caught the Phantom's lips with her own. Erik moved up his left hand and ran and finger lightly over his own lips. He remembered that kiss all too well. How could he have forgotten it?

The actors broke their embrace, and the Phantom took a candle and held it high above Raoul's head. The rope holding him prisoner fell, burned by the flame.

**_"Take her, forget me, forget all of this_**

_**Leave me alone- forget all of this**_

_**Go now, don't let them find you**_

_**Take the boat; Swear to me never to tell**_

**_The secret you know of the Angel in Hell!" _**The Phantom sang in a despairing voice. Raoul and Christine embraced before him, and walked slowly toward the boat. The Phantom walked to another room and sat before the music box, which started up magically.

**_"Masquerade_**

_**Paper faces on parade**_

_**Masquerade**_

**_Hide your face so the world will never find you..." _**Once again, Erik was lip-synching along with the Phantom, unable to stop himself. Christine entered again, and handed the Phantom his ring, and Erik felt a tear come to his eye as the Phantom sang the words that had once before almost caused Erik himself to want to die:

**_"Christine, I love you..."_**

Christine and Raoul started off in the boat, and began to sing All I Ask of You as Raoul poled the boat along and Christine held onto him as though for dear life.

**_"You alone can make my song take flight_**

**_It's over now, the Music of the Night!" _**The Phantom sang before disappearing under his cloak. The lights in the theater illuminated once more, the crowd applauded, though Erik was too... stunned to do anything. Anna almost had to lift him out of his seat before he came to his senses.

"Erik, are you alright?" Anna asked, concerned.

"Yes, my dear," Erik answered as they walked arm-in-arm out of the theater and back to where the limo was waiting (A/N: No, it hadn't been waiting the whole time, just to let you know). They stepped in as the driver opened the door for them.

"So, how was it, all in all?" Anna asked in an attempt to begin a conversation.

"It was... pretty interesting," Erik murmured, and he kissed Anna lovingly, "thank you, my love." He held her close to him, but his thoughts were a medley of different things.

_If only things had been different... But... Do I still wish that that things were different between me and Christine? Like, from the bottom of my heart? _Erik sighed. He still did not know that answer to that question.

They got home and changed (in separate rooms) into their nightclothes. Anna then took Erik to what had once been her parents bedroom.

"We won't have to sleep on the floor in here," she muttered, and she slid into the bed. Erik slid in beside her (A/N: they still have their clothes **on**, don't get wrong ideas, people! LOL). He lay flat on his back and Anna removed the rubber mask he had been wearing, then she lay her head on his bare chest (A/N: ok, I didn't say he had a shirt on...). They both lay in quiet thought for a minute or so, then drifted off to sleep.

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**HaHa I Don't have much to say people just REVIEW! LUV U GUYS! Goodnight again!**


	17. The Shattering Glass

**I am like, so so so sorry that it took so long to get this chappie up, I have had so much stupid homework... you guys wouldn't believe! But yeah, I hope you guys like this chappie (even though its SUPER-SHORT, I'm really sorry bout that too). I know, y'all will hate how I leave you hanging after this chappie, but please don't hurt me! I promise I'll update sooner, I promise!**

**IMPORTANT! Oh yeah, and if you guys wanna read another story of mine, I'm posting another about Erik and it's more of a Leroux/ALW movie mix. It's called "It's Back Again, the Music of the Night". Please please please read and review!**

**Discalimer: I don't own PotO.

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"Erik... Erik, wake up, my love... come see the sunrise," Anna whispered softly into Erik's ear. His eyes fluttered open, and he saw Anna standing by his side, still in her nightgown.

"What?" Erik asked, his brain trying to process what Anna had just said in his groggy state. She shook her head playfully, then grabbed his arm and dragged him out of bed. He groaned under his breath, but smiled and allowed Anna to lead him outside. She took him to her backyard, and sat him on her trampoline. She then lay back and looked up at the sky.

Erik watched her lay back, and did the same. The view that met his eyes was more than enough to make him gasp. The whole sky was a swirling mixture of light pink and blue, and even still traces of the black darkness lingered. It reminded Erik of a pleasant thing: his relationship with Anna. She was the light pinks and blues that brightened up the darkness that was him. Erik gazed at the sky and thought about how beautiful the colors looked together, and knew that it meant that he and Anna were beautiful together, too.

"Isn't it lovely?" Anna asked, and Erik nodded and sighed. It was... perfection, to put it mildly. The sun rose, and Erik felt the natural warmth caress his face for the first time. It wasn't the only thing to caress his face, though.

Anna leaned over to kiss him, and it actually took him some time to realize what was happening, but when he did, he took a deep breath through his nose and clutched Anna with such suddenness that it actually surprised himself. Anna felt her body go rigid for a moment, but then he muscles melted away and she went limp, caring about nothing except Erik. He was... _everything_! He was all that mattered and more...

After a long time, Erik and Anna broke apart, and still they just gazed at each other in silence and love. It was only when the sun rose above the trees and began to become more than their eyes could stand that the two rose and went back into the house.

"Anna, I love you," Erik whispered, and he reach out and grabbed her arms, pulling her close to him. He held her tight against himself, never ever wanting to let go. She would be his, forever; he would be hers, forever. That was how it was going to be. Tears sprang to Erik's eyes at that thought, and he tilted Anna's face up and kissed her passionately.

"And I love you, Erik," she murmured back, "I love you... I love you." She snuggled her cheek into his chest, and shut her eyes peacefully.

"Erik, will you sing for me... please?" she asked, and she raised her head to look into his eyes. Erik smiled slightly, and picked Anna up and carried her over to the couch, where he sat her down ad took his place beside her.

**_"Nighttime sharpens_**

_**Heightens each sensation**_

_**Darkness stirs**_

_**And wakes imagination**_

_**Silently the senses abandon their defenses..."**_

Erik paused, and Anna reached her head up and gently kissed him in the corner of the mouth. He smiled, then continued.

**_"Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor... _**

_**Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender... **_

_**Turn your face away from the garish light of day. **_

_**Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light... **_

**_And listen to the Music of the Night..." _**Erik went through the whole song, stopping only at the end. Anna smiled peacefully, her head lying on his chest and her breathing slow and relatively even.

"Thank you," she breathed, and he couldn't help but put his arms around her. Their bodies fitted together flawlessly, as though God had created them to fit together. They both fell asleep out of pure peacefulness, resting against each other gently.

It was late in the afternoon when they both woke up. Anna woke up first, but the slightest movement that she made caused Erik to awaken, too. Anna laid for a second, lost in her thoughts, and suddenly tears came to her eyes.

"Anna, my love, what troubles you?" Erik asked, wiping her tears away with the soft skin of his lips. "It hurts me to see you cry, dearest."

"Erik, will you ever leave me?" Anna questioned after a while, "Will you stay with me, forever?"

Erik's heart almost broke. "Of course I will always be with you, Anna. I love you. Don't ever question that, ever. I love you." he kissed her, then asked, "Why do you ask, _mon ange_?"

"I had... a dream. I don't remember most of it, but I remember that you had to pick between me and Christine. I think it was all... Raoul's fault, but I'm not sure. But just before you picked, I woke up, so I never got to find out..." Anna's voice trailed off. "Erik... do you wish that things were... different between you and Christine? Do you still wish that she had picked you, instead of that Vicomte?

"Anna," Erik began, "I... have been trying to figure out that very same thing. I... don't know. I always thought that Christine was my one love, but then... I look at you, and I begin to doubt that. I love you, Anna. I really do. I don't know how things would be if Christine chose me. If she had, I probably wouldn't be here right now. I... I would probably be dead, by now. But... I _don't_ think that I do wish that things were different. Not right now. I love you, Anna." he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then pulled her swiftly into his tight embrace. Anna held him tight against her, feeling as though a great emotional burden had been lifted.

Suddenly, the sliding glass door shattered beside them. Erik looked up, and immediately realized that someone had... _shot_ at them, but who it was, he did not know. Anna did, though, especially when she heard a familiar voice.

"I told you I would see you around, Anna, did I not? This is what I meant."

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Chapter 15 Reviewers Responses

**Ruiner of Worlds**- HaHa love those mental images! Especially chibi Phantom smiling with tears, LOL! And, as you can see, I didn't have him get chased off by fans, though I did think about it; I wanted it to be a little more romantic, but I did love you other idea with the stage phantom! LOL!

**YebbieKay**- Thanks, Yebbie... I especially love the part where you call me a PotO freak... but, then again, aren't we all? Well, except you, of course... NONBELIEVER! LOL, just kidding Yebbie, I'll see you at school, ok?

**pinkyphantom**- Wow, thank you so much; I'm glad you like my story! I'll let you know when and if I get my other stories posted! Thank you again!

**TheAngel'sMaggie**- Thanx I'm glad you liked that chappie. It was fun to write but to tell you the truth, this particular one felt a little forced... But I don't know... tell me what you think, ok? Oh, and before I forget, yeah, I know... there are tons of stories w/ Christine's daughter... but I actually wrote that story before Phantom in the Future (that's where I got my username, because Christine had named her daughter Ana, so it was Ana de Chagny (I know, I use 'Anna' or 'Ana' too much, huh?). So yeah, do you have any suggestions, cuz I would luv 'em! O, and maybe suggestions for a new name, too, if you gots any? thank you so much for being a dedicated reviewer!

**Erik'sIngenue**- Yeah, I knew when I first wrote this story I would have trouble with this topic coming up... Yes, Anna was 14 when she first met Erik, and everything... But the reason I wrote this story is kind of to illustrate how true love an cross any age gap (and I also said that I made Erik a GerardPhantom, but that was to make him as young as possible). And the reason Erik falls in love with her so quickly is he realizes (when he sees her picture) that they share a strange connection, and the fact that she already loved him too, you know? He was a little starved for love, that too...

**Chris**- Thank you, I'm glad you like my story! I think it is Filipino, though, because I used Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, and the islands are called the Philippines, but people from the islands are callen Filipino... or at least I think, you still could be right... I'm bad with countries and states and stuff like that

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx**- Thank you so much, I'm so glad you liked this chappie (it was fun to write!) I love getting your reviews, cuz you always say sumthing extra nice. Thank you so much! HaHa LUV YA! LOL

**angel718**- I know... superior intellect always gets in the way with me... I hate it. And, oh, I totally wish I could be Anna, too! Ahhhh that would be awesum! But thanx, I'm glad you like my story, and DOWN WITH POINTLESS WRITING ASSIGNMENTS! LOL I hope you get a good grade!

**RoSeQuEeN**- HaHa thanx, I'm glad you liked that chappie! Yeah, Anna left her boyfrend, but is he so willing to leave her...? Srry, I just had to write that, it came on spur of the moment and I just had to write that LOL.

**PhantomsHeart**- Two words... AMEN SISTER! About that boy-mask-cape-us girls luvin 'em- thing, AMEN! So true! HaHa I never actually stopped laughing after I read that one, I kept seeing boys with capes and masks at school... (in my mind, of course LOL).

**potostfbeyeluvr**- Thanx, I'm glad you liked this chappie and I'm glad you like my other ideas! Hope you liked this chapie, too!

**Baby-Vixen**- OMG! I couldn't stop laughing after I read that review for like an hour, I swear! With the jack and the rum and the fwapping and the rum and the 'Arg!' and the rum and the jack! LOL I loved that one! Thank you so much for making my day and being such a dedicated and beloved reviewer!

**Ridel**- Well, about Erik's relationship... I did feel that it all went kind of fast now that I read the whole thing altogether, but I think that I know why. You see, Erik realized that he and Anna had a special connection from the very beginning, with the sparkle-in-the-eye thing... And I mean, Anna just was like, the first person to ever love him even when she knew what he looked like, so I felt that he wasn't very apt to lose an "opportunity" like that... but I hear ya, it was a little rushed...

**Countess Vladislaus Dragu**- HaHa go Lion King! LOL I'm sorry, I'm hyper again... Glad you loved the update; I did too! HaHa I'm such a sucker for romance...

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Chapter 16 Reviewers Responses

**TheAngel'sMaggie**- Yeah, I know what you mean... I wouldn't be able to keep my head at all around a shirtless Erik... o god, I'd freakin' lose my mind (but in a good way, of course)! Hope you liked this update, Luv getting your reviews!

**Childofthewilderness**- You probably won't read this, since it appears that you aren't reading my story, but this will be to all reviewers. **Yes, I know, Erik is a little out of character. I got carried away and made my own little Erik... some of you like him and some of you don't, but I still luv all u guys:tries to grab all reviewers (even flamers) in a big bear hug:**

**Just-an-Echo**- I know, poor Erik. Aww I feel so bad for him... but you're so right, Anna is a lucky #&$! LOL She's so lucky! Oh, and by the way, do you have any other Raoul dolls I can stab?

**Ruiner of Worlds**- I know... damn I wish I was Anna so friggin bad! I would never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever EVER stop hugging him! HaHa! And I'm glad you like my updates, though I'm getting to a rough point in school so they may not be so frequent for a while, but I'll try to get at least one or two chappies a week AT LEAST!

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx**- Thank you so much! I'll update as soon as I can, but you know school -cough- stupid school -cough- probably won't let me get too mcuh done. But like I said, I'll try to update and get AT LEAST one or two chappies a week done!

**Please review, you guys! I'm sad, I didn't get that many reviews on my last chappie... but that's okay, I still love you guys! Hakuna Matata! **


	18. You Can Run, But You Can't Hide

**HaHa I like think this chappie is i'ight, you guys out there who like adventurous stuff will like it. I know it will get kinda confusing with all the doors, I know it was hard to write, but if I could draw you a diagram, trust me I would... Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PotO, okay! Happy now! I admit it! I don't own it :starts crying until Erik walks in and gives me a big hug: LOL

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Anna screamed, as she knew instantly that it was Jake. She couldn't believe it. Why was he there? She and Erik sat up straight, ready to spring when the time came.

Jake saw Erik and Anna sitting on the couch, and he got an evil, twisted smile on his face. Though he would have had a clear shot of his target at that moment, he could not resist a final gibe. A long final gibe.

"Anna, love," he began, "Who is your friend?" Anna could tell that he was very badly drunk, for his eyes were bloodshot and his breathing was raspy. Anna, who had known about Jake's temper, knew that when he drank, it only made things a lot worse. She clutched Erik's arm sharply, a gasp escaping her lips.

"Or should I say, 'who is you lover!'" Jake shouted, and he let off a bullet from the jet black pistol in his hand. The bullet drove into the wall, and Anna held Erik's arm tighter. Erik himself made no movement; he just watched Jake, waiting for the right time to move, the right time to escape.

"Jake, settle down. Why are you doing this?" Anna asked, raising her voice slightly. She immediately knew that this was the wrong thing to do.

"Settle down! Why am I DOING THIS!" Jake shouted, and Erik took his distracted moment to grab Anna's arm and drag her upright. As far as he knew, pistols had to be cocked before they would fire, and he thought that he would be warned before Jake shot at them again. Anna, who knew better, shoved Erik out of the way (as they had been going in a straight line) just as a bullet whizzed by the place his arm had been. Erik, who had veered off to the right, away from the hallway, then dug his heels into the ground and ran left, intercepting Anna and dragging her down the hallway. Using his trained ears, he heard Jake walking through the shattered doorway, his footsteps crunching on the broken glass.

Erik dragged Anna a few more feet, but knew that they wouldn't get out of the way fast enough unless they went inside one of the rooms. Also knowing that there was no time to be choosy, he entered the first room on the left, pulling Anna in after him. He shut and locked the door and put his ear to it, hearing Jake's footsteps coming closer.

"Erik," Anna breathed, and he turned to face her, "I'm sor... I'm sorry." Tears leaked down her face, but this time Erik did not wipe them away. He put his ears closer to the door, and knew that Jake was right outside.

"Anna, it's ok. We'll get through this, I promise," he whispered, but he wasn't so sure of his words. He crossed the small room and wrapped his arms around Anna, and kissed her quickly, in case it was to be the last time.

"Anna, we're going to have to go through that door," Erik murmured in her ear, still holding her, "Just let me lead you. I'll keep you safe. Just follow me."

"No, Erik. I don't want you to get hurt-"

"Anna, there's hardly any time for arguing. But let me tell you, emotional pain is much, much worse for me than physical pain, and to have anything happen to you would be the worst emotional pain... I don't think I could endure it. Just follow me, Anna. Please, just follow me." Erik held Anna tighter, as though slightly threatening her to say yes. She nodded at last (and only when Jake began to bang on the door), and Erik prepared to open the door.

"Ok, on three. One... Two..." Erik waited for Jake to bang on the door on more time, "Three!" he unlocked the door, threw it open, and led Anna swiftly past Jake, who had been charging toward the door in an effort to hit it with his shoulder.

Erik dragged Anna in front of him, so that he was between her and Jake. _God, if anything happens to Anna... _he thought as he led her into her parents room, where there was the door leading outside that they had used that morning. The door connecting the hallway to Anna's parent's room didn't have a lock (_Of course, _he thought), so he led Anna toward the door leading outside. He kicked open the door with a mighty thrust of his foot just as Jake crashed into the room.

"Anna, come _on_!" he grunted as he pulled her outside. He calculated as fast as his brain could, and he soon knew that they wouldn't be able to run away in the backyard; the fence was too far away for them to reach before Jake got out. Knowing that it was the only option, Erik took Anna's hand again and led her back into the house, going through the shattered doors and trying to get to the front door so that they could escape.

Jake saw them head through the door outside, and followed them, just in time to catch a glimpse of Anna being dragged back into the house. _Idiot, _he thought, _You'll never get her out **that **way._

Erik ran as fast as he could, and Anna struggled to keep up with him. He heard Jake close behind him, but then heard Jake stop moving. _No, please God, no.._. _Jake is_... _aiming_.

Erik knew that there was no time to run. There was only one thing he could do now. Protect Anna. That was his sole aim in life now. He stopped moving, and he grabbed Anna as her momentum forced her forward. He wrapped his arms around her so that there was no way she could be hurt, and that was when he heard the gun go off.

"Anna, I love you," he grunted before the bullet hit him square in the back, forcing him to stumble forward until he and Anna ran up against the wall. In his mind, he apologized for hurting her, but he could not get the words out of his mouth before he lost consciousness.

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**Just-an-Echo- **LOL HaHa I LUV THAT RAOUL DOLL:stab, stab: HaHa Hey have you noticed, in the movie, he's all like (at the end) "Don't throw your life away for my sake" but then he's all "I did it all for you and all for nothing"? He's such a pansyfop! Grr he makes me mad:stab,stab:

**Countess Vladislaus Dragu- **Romance, don't ya just love it (LOL I love puns) Glad you loved the updates, hope you don't get too frusterated with this cliffy LOL.

**Erianna Abyss- **I'm glad you love my story! Wow you go to Phillipeno (Filipino?) school? Is it touch? Ya I'm Phillipeno (Filipino?) too, but I don't go to any special school or anything, I just go to stupid old boring regular school... Gr.

**Lord Hiro- **I shall quote Jack Sparrow (about the cliffy thing)... "Couldn't resist, mate" LOL Jack is awesum, but Erik... way cooler! LOL Hope this update was quick enough

**TheAngel'sMaggie- **HaHa I totally love getting your reviews, you're totally one of my fave reviewers! Whoa, so I'm like, writing your bio, huh? That's too weird, but in a totally awesum way! Hey, if you see Erik, give him my number (1-800-I-JUST-MET-ERIK-SO-NOW-I'M-CALLING-THIS-NUMBER-TO-GIVE-YOU-HIS-EXACT-LOCATION) LOL. And I luv your suggestions, and I'm so glad you like my other story too!

**YebbieKay- **HaHa Thanks Yebbie, I'm glad you like my story. No, Anna will not die in this one (I know, you want her to so you can steal Erik, huh? Come on, out with it!) Yeah you know you want him, but he's so totally mine, so sorry Yebbie! I'll let you shake his hand at the wedding and give you one of his old socks for your birthday LOL Just kidding (cuz I'm keeping the sock!JKLOL)

**PhantomAngel- **Thank you, I'm glad you like it! I always like to get new reviewers (though there is absolutely nothing wrong with my old ones, either). I'm glad you like reading this, I hope you enjoy the next chappie!

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**Please don't hurt me, but I won't tell you whether Erik is dead or not... HaHa I'm that mean... wait a minute, no I'm not... Okay, people, only because I'm actually _that_ nice, I'll tell you. Erik is- :Erik, who doesn't want to spoil the surprise, kisses me so that I can't talk: Oh well, you'll find out in the next chappie...**

**And people who like this story should check out my other one, "It's Back Again, The Music of the Night" If you do read that one, please review it! Thank you, TheAngel'sMaggie! (Everyone do what she did! LOL) Anyway, I have homework still, so I'd better hop to it! -cough- stupid homwork -cough-.**


	19. That was How it was Going to Be

**OMG 101 REVIEWS! Ahhh! I love you people! I know that some of those are flames, but I seriously never thought I'd get past 20 reviews... Whoa! Wooohooo! Cookies all around! Oh eayh, and as Captain Jack Sparrow says "100 reviews celebrations, oh I love 100 reviews celebrations, DRINKS ALL AROUND!" Ok, so it's something like that (and yes, I know what he really says, but no one is really getting married here...) So yeah, I think this'lll be the end, so I hope y'all enjoy!**

**IMPORTANT: I am changing m username to 'Phantomess785' without the quotes, of course. So if I'm on your Author Alert and you get one saying that Phantomess785 has a new chappie or whatever, thats ME! So yeah, just so you don't get confused...**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own PotO, peoples!

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Jake smiled when he saw Erik go down, and decided that he had fulfilled his goal for the night. What happened to Anna didn't matter now. He was about to gibe at her again, but took a deep breath and just left, thinking that it would be better for his immediate future. He had been in the way of enraged females before, and they had been hard to deal with, even when he hadn't just killed their lovers. He left without a sound, and Anna didn't notice him leave; she wouldn't have noticed him, even if he had made all of the noise in the world.

"Oh, Erik," she sobbed, the tears falling freely down her face. She made no attempt to stop them, or even wipe them away. "What have I done? This is all my fault... I knew how Jake was, but I didn't do anything... Oh, my love... If it hadn't been for my stupidity, you'd still be alive right now... Oh Erik, please forgive me..."

Anna cried harder than ever before. She hadn't even cried this much when her parents had died, though their bodies hadn't been sprawled in front of her, and they hadn't died trying to save her, nor had it been her fault that they were dead. She rested the side of her head upon Erik's deformed right cheek, and wept. Her tears flowed from her face to Erik's, and seeped between his eyelids and into his slightly open mouth.

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Erik was blinded by a white light. He looked down and saw that he was clothed in an innocent white outfit. It wasn't a robe, like traditional angels wore, but rather a shirt and loosely fitting pants, seemingly made from the clouds themselves.

_"Erik, you look surprised to be here," _a heavenly voice from all around Erik suddenly spoke, _"Why?"_

"Where is 'here'?" Erik asked, unsure of where to look when addressing the voice. He finally settled on staring straight ahead.

_"Why, Erik, do you not know? This is the Great Bridge, where souls come before they are sent either to the glorious Heaven, or the deep abyss of Hell." _the voice answered.

"Do you mean, I'm... dead?" Erik questioned, puzzled, "But what about Anna? Where is she? Is she okay?" The voice chuckled.

_"Yes indeed Erik, you do have a good heart. Anna is fine. See for yourself." _Erik felt as though he was rushing forward without any apparent effort, and suddenly saw Anna, and himself... or rather, his body. He was standing right beside Anna, as she wept over his body.

"I'm so sorry, my love," she cried, "I'm so sorry." Erik reached out a hand and tried to set it on Anna's shoulder, but his fingers went right through her skin. Erik gave a cry of surprise, but Anna did not hear him.

_"No Erik, people cannot feel you or hear you, for you are nothing but a spirit right now, and humans cannot communicate with spirits, unless they are gifted with the sixth sense. You died trying to save Anna, and save her you did. Judgment on whether or not that grants your soul salvation from your past sins should be given shortly. The Council is still deciding."_

"But I don't want to go to Heaven," Erik murmured, gazing at Anna and feeling cloud-like tears come to his eyes.

_"What are you talking about? You want to go to Hell?" _the voice inquired incredulously.

"No... No, that's not it," Erik shook his head, his gaze never moving from Anna. "I want to go back. I want to be with Anna... Is there some way I can go back?"

_"Well, I won't say that it hasn't been done before, for it has, but it's a hard task, getting yourself appointed to go back. That Council has let very few people go back throughout all of eternity..._"

"Whatever it takes," Erik declared. "Whatever it takes for me to get back to Anna... I'll try. Please take me to the Council."

_"Very well."_

_

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A/N: This would be a perfect place for a cliffy... but I'm nice and in a good mood (And I'm not sure whether or not I have Health Insurance... I'll have to ask...) so here's the rest... :suddenly looks worried at the thought of not having Health Insurance when my other story had a lot of cliffies:

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Erik felt the familiar rushing sensation again, and suddenly he was before at least a dozen beautiful angels. They all had proud, soft, elegant looks upon their delicate faces that looked as though God had carved them from porcelain. The one nearest Erik, seated at the center of the table, was a woman, with light golden hair that shone with a light all its own.

"Ah, Erik. We have been discussing your fate. Why are you here?" her voice was so beautiful; it made Erik wonder how he could have thought any sound to be pretty, now that he heard her voice. His thoughts wandered to his music, then to Christine's voice... and then to Anna's laughter. Okay, so some sounds could compare.

"I want to go back," he muttered with more composure than he would have thought himself able to have. The Council began to murmur amongst themselves, all staring at him. The angel in the middle leaned to the right as one angel next to her whispered something in her ear, and did the same on her left.

"That is a very serious demand, Erik. Why do you want to go back? I seem to remember that you were wishing for death just a few years ago, if you go by your own time, which would count out the twentieth century entirely. What has made your look upon life change so quickly?" she questioned, her eyes shining as brightly as her hair and her voice soft and gentle.

"Anna has," Erik answered, "I love her. You know that I died trying to save her, and I'm glad that I did, but-"

"Surely you do not wish that you had done anything different? Surely you do not wish for something in return for your good deed?" It was more of a demand than a question, and the angel's voice was suddenly more firm.

"No, madam," he whispered quietly, unsure of whether or not 'madam' was the right thing to call an angel. "I don't want to see Anna hurt. She's so sad, and I want her to be happy. She has suffered so much loss already. I would gladly trade my soul for the life of her parents, but, as they have been dead for years, it might be a shock for Anna."

"Yes... Anna has suffered much loss, though we do learn best from hardships."

"Please," Erik was begging now, debating on whether or not he should fall to his knees, "Please, if there's anything I can do to convince you to send me back, I would do it. Please... I will do anything. Anything it takes."

"Your love for her is strong, I see..." the angel noted, and the Council members all began to whisper again. Erik held his breath, though he hardly even needed to breathe anyway.

Minutes passed, and Erik did not make a sound. He fell to his knees, looking at the ground, and could hear the Council converse above his bowed head. He thought hard about Anna, and knew that he would face any challenge that anyone threw at him. He would fight the ruler of hell itself, if only he could go back to Anna.

"Erik, raise your head," the angel commanded, and Erik did so without hesitation. The angels were all looking at him with soft eyes, and the female angel smiled.

"The Council has decided that, because of Anna's past sufferings and your deep love for her, not to mention your own sufferings, you shall go back. But before you go, there are people who you may want to see."

Erik smiled and thanked the angel graciously.

"Wait, who am I to see?" he asked, and the Angel stepped aside. Erik gasped. Before him was a spirit who he recognized immediately.

"Angel," Christine breathed, "It has been a long time."

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A/N: Another perfect place for a cliffy... Sorry, I'll stop doin this.

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"Yes, Christine. A very long time." Erik stiffened. Christine had been the last person he had expected to see.

"I hear that you have found someone who loves you. I am happy for you, Angel." Christine flashed Erik a smile, and he returned it, surprised with his own calmness. "They say her name is Anna." Christine turned to the angel in the Council. "Is he going back?" The angel nodded, and Christine smiled again at Erik. "I am glad. You have suffered enough in your lifetime. I'm glad that you have found someone who loves you."

"Thank you, Christine. I hope you and Raoul lived peacefully together as well."

"We did. Thank you."

"Did the great de Chagny line end?" Erik asked, knowing that that hadn't been the best way to ask Christine if she had had any children, which is what he really wanted to know.

"No," Christine answered, shaking her head, "It lived on, but the name changed within a generation. My daughter's." A spirit suddenly appeared beside Christine. Erik smiled warmly at it, and he knew that it was Christine's child. With the dark hair, pale skin, and beautiful eyes, how could it not have been?

"What is her name?" he asked. At this Christine chuckled.

"Ana..." she answered, looking lovingly at the spirit of the lively woman, who smiled at Erik.

"Erik, you have to get back," the Councilwoman angel suddenly spoke, "before it's too late." Erik nodded, and turned to Christine and her daughter.

"Goodbye, Christine... and Ana." he nodded to them and smiled, feeling very peaceful. They both nodded back, and Erik turned toward the Councilwoman angel.

"Very well. I'm ready to go back." And he meant it.

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The tears were still falling down Anna's face. How long had she been here, crying? An hour? She had lost track of time.

"Erik, my love... my love." She murmured, raising her head to look at him. One pearl-like tear found its way into Erik's mouth, as had many others before it, and suddenly Erik coughed. Anna jumped back in surprise, hardly daring to believe that that had really happened, but Erik coughed again, then his eyes fluttered open, and he uttered one word.

"Anna." He sat up without too much effort, and stared at her. Traces of her tears lingered on her face, but not a drop fell from her eyes. Erik reached out a hand and wiped one of the wet trails away, and suddenly Anna collapsed against him.

"Oh my god, Erik!" she laughed, more out of relief than anything, "Erik, you're alive! I don't believe it! How?" He opened his mouth to answer, but Anna smothered his lips with hers before he could say anything. She held him tightly, as though he would be gone again if she let go. Erik went rigid for a moment, surprised by her movement, but then moved and held her almost as tight as she held him, and he laughed as well, and a familiar and welcome thought came to his mind.

_She would be his, forever; he would be hers, forever. That was how it was going to be...

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**RoSeQuEeN**- HaHa I hope you liked that ending, thank you for being so dedicated!

**TheAngel'sMaggie**- HaHa and how could I forget my 100th reviewer? Seriously, you are so cool, I just wanna give u a big bear hug, but I'll refrain... and I don't know how to give virtual hugs... wait a second! Okay, here :virtual hug: You rock!

**LadyAniviel**- LOL So true, so true... but yeah I hope you liked that ending, I felt that maybe I needed an encounter with E/C, but no romance, and how could I serparate our main characters forever?

**Ruiner of Worlds**- HaHa here's a broom, did you explode while waiting? If you did, I'm sorry, I had 2 stupid projects and I was trying to work on this story and my other 1, too! Hope you enjoyed! Thank you so much for everything!

**xxXGoddessXofXdeadXloveXxx**- LOL I'm sorry if I kept you waiting long, stupid school as always... Hey, wouldnt it be cool if we had 3 day weekends all that time, but school didnt get any longer? That would be awesum! Srry, I'm rambling... but anyway, thank you so much, hope you liked the ending, and... You rock!

**CountessVladislausDragu**- HaHa then maybe you shouldn't read my other story, cuz all it is is cliffies... LOL I'm evil Muhuhahaha... ok, I just had a mental image of a cute lil chibi bunny thats all fluffy and pink and suddenly it turns black and goes 'muhuhahaha'... I'm so random at times... Anyway, thank you so much for being dedicated!

**DarkMistress**- Thank you, I'm glad you like it... which one of my reviewers sent it to you? Just wondering, cuz if they have a username, I'll try and do something nice for them, I always love it when my revewiers tell their friends about me!

**PhantomAngel**- LOL Hey kill him for me, too! Die Jake! I really needed a bad guy for this story... so I though. "Why not make it an evil jealous x-bf?" and then I got my plot and just kinda went with it... I hope i did okay... But anyway, thank you so much, I hope you liked the ending!

**Lord Hiro**- HaHa I know what you mean, cliffies are horrible to have to read... yet so fun to write! LOl I hope you liked that ending, I liked writing it... :sighs: awww, true love... Anyway, thank you for being so dedicated and cool! Go Smeagol! And at the same time, Boo Gollum (Cuz he's mean to Sam, and I like Sam, but Smeagol is awesum when hes a good little... whatever he is...) Anyway, LOL and Thank you!

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**Awww... -sniffling- I have to say that I liked that ending... I think I'll end it here, because I cannot, for the life of me, think of any major conflict for a sequel... (Any suggestions, reviewers?) I just kinda threw in the part with Christine, and I thought having her daughter's name be 'Ana' was sweet, too, but what did you guys think? Yeah, TheAngel'sMaggie, you already knew about my other story with Ana, but I don't think I'm gonna post it after all... it's really lame... but anyway, anyone who wants to read more of my work should see It's Back Again, The Music of the Night I always love seeing familiar usernames for my reviewers, but new ones are welcome just the same! Luv you guys and thank you all for being so faithful!**

**And I might (keyword: might) write a sequel if I have good ideas, which I don't have at the moment at all... But maybe I'll just write some kind of Epilouge... though I need ideas for that, too... Anyway, Thank you all, you guys are so cool!**


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